2023 NFL Roster Cuts explainer: Rules, deadlines, and everything you need to know!

Are teams really limited to having those 53 players under contract starting Tuesday?

There is a little quirk to the roster cuts deadline. Franchises have to name a 53-man roster, yes, but they are allowed to name 16 bonus players to add to their Practice Squad.

The PS players need to meet some criteria, though. No more than 10 players of those 16 can have more than two more seasons of professional NFL experience. The other six have no experience constraints, which allows franchises to carry some veterans in their Practice Squads.

Players that start the season with the PS can be moved to the active roster three times per season. If a franchise wants to use one of those players for a fourth time or more, they have to be added to the 53-man roster and therefore the franchise would need to cut someone already in it.