The NFL had to make a change to its offseason calendar to account for the fact that the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will be playing the season opener in Australia. It was reported that final 53-man roster cuts will need to be made by Sunday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. ET, a few days earlier than usual.
In recent years, cutdown day has been on the Tuesday after the final preseason games, so the deadline has been moved up by two days. That’s because the Rams and 49ers will need extra travel time when they head to Melbourne in Week 1. Therefore, the NFL doesn’t want either team making cuts after departing for Australia; it’s currently unclear when the Rams plan to leave for Melbourne, but Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers will depart on Sept. 2.
Waiver claims will now need to be submitted by 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 31, instead of the traditional Wednesday date following roster cuts.
It’s not a big change, but the NFL’s decision to play the season opener in Melbourne forced the league to tweak its offseason schedule.
The Rams will play their final preseason game on Thursday, Aug. 27, so they will have a few extra days to make their roster decisions before Sunday’s deadline.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL changes 2026 roster cutdown day because of Rams-49ers Australia game
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
