In years past, the NFL held every team’s fourth and final preseason game on the Thursday before the week of the regular season. That allowed the league to set the 53-man roster cut deadline for that Saturday, with waivers clearing and practice squads coming together on Sunday.
This year, however, with the league’s move to a 17-game regular season and a three-game preseason schedule, the timeline between the final exhibition game and week one is extended to nearly two weeks. That allows for a broader time frame and mid-week cuts. Indeed, NFL teams must reach their 53-man rosters next Tuesday, August 31st, instead of several days later.