Sports

NFL waiver wire tracker 2026: Will Levis goes unclaimed, Dolphins claim seven players

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1 hour ago

31 August 2026

NewsAdmin

All 32 teams are trimmed down to 53 players after the NFL’s roster cut deadline concluded on Aug. 30, as hundreds of veterans, recent draft picks and promising undrafted free agents entered the open market. Here, franchises were able to add to their squads via the waiver process. A large handful of players who were on the wrong side of the roster cut line have now found new jobs.

The waiver claim deadline passed at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug 31. Fourteen teams filed claims for a total of 29 players. Teams’ spots in the waiver wire order determines whether they are awarded their top priority or any secondary priorities they filed.

The first waiver wire order of the season matched the 2026 NFL Draft order. That meant the Las Vegas Raiders were guaranteed to secure their top waiver priority: Defensive back Darrell Luter Jr. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants rounded out the first five, but of that group, only the Jets and Titans submitted claims.

For the full order and a complete rundown of how the waiver process works — including which players are subject to waivers and how practice squads are constructed — we have an explainer that outlines the entire system.

Will Levis among unclaimed players

One of the most head-turning moves at the 53-man roster deadline was the Tennessee Titans’ release of Will Levis, who just three years ago arrived as a potential franchise quarterback. Tennessee kept three quarterbacks, but Levis was not one of them. Even more surprising was that no team scooped him up off waivers. It is a tremendous fall from grace for the former No. 33 overall pick, whose best bet is now to find a practice squad.

Other notable unclaimed players include the following:

Three of the most significant former first-round picks to go unclaimed were offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Evan Neal and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

From a player’s perspective, going unclaimed has both benefits and drawbacks. There exists a trade-off between flexibility and job security for those who passed through waivers. On one hand, hitting free agency allows players to have a stronger say in which team signs them. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that they become signed at all.