IR - The Key To Final Cuts To Our 55-man Roster

[mgteich]

1) At 4 PM on cut-down day, we will have a 55-man roster: the normal 53 plus two on in-season IR (who can return).

2) Some candidates for the 2 IR spots
Tavai
Bourne
Polk
Williams
Sow (he's signed though 2026 and may need more time to recover and possibly be a backup this year or next)

3) After 4PM or the next day, more players can be put on IR, freeing up roster spots for players claimed on waivers.

4) During the season 8 players can come back from (2 more in the post-season)

5) I don't see any of the current IR people being one of the two to return. At first, I though Dial might be included, but coming back from a torn ACL shouldn't be rushed. Dial will be back next year competing to be a ST team player and 5th CB. He is signed though 2027.

 

[p8ryts]

1) At 4 PM on cut-down day, we will have a 55-man roster: the normal 53 plus two on in-season IR (who can return).

2) Some candidates for the 2 IR spots
Tavai
Bourne
Polk
Williams
Sow (he's signed though 2026 and may need more time to recover and possibly be a backup this year or next)

3) After 4PM or the next day, more players can be put on IR, freeing up roster spots for players claimed on waivers.

4) During the season 8 players can come back from (2 more in the post-season)

5) I don't see any of the current IR people being one of the two to return. At first, I though Dial might be included, but coming back from a torn ACL shouldn't be rushed. Dial will be back next year competing to be a ST team player and 5th CB. He is signed though 2027.

I'm still confused. I thought the two IR's had to be on the final 53?

 

[mgteich]

I'm still confused. I thought the two IR's had to be on the final 53?

2025 NFL IR rules

The NFL Injured Reserve (IR) rules for the 2025 season govern how teams manage players sidelined by football-related injuries
.
Here's a summary of the 2025 NFL IR rules:

• Definition: The "Reserve/Injured" list is for players unable to play due to football-related injuries requiring them to miss significant time.
• Roster and Salary Cap Impact: Players on IR do not count against the 53-man active roster limit but their salary still counts against the team's salary cap.
• Minimum Games Missed: A player must miss a minimum of four games after being placed on IR before they are eligible to return.
• Designated to Return:
  • Teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season, with an additional two possible in the postseason.
  • An individual player can be designated to return twice, with each instance counting against the team limit.
• Pre-season IR Designation: Teams can designate up to two players to return from IR or NFI lists during the final roster cutdown, and these players are eligible to return after missing four games. Previously, players placed on IR before the regular season were ineligible to return.

 

[imahobgoblin]

I am hoping Bourne can return to practice this week and then be dealt for a late round pick. Whether we cut or trade him, we still take a dead cap hit of $1.4 million and save $6.3 million. It would just be nice to have a late pick rather than letting him go for free.

 

[WazzuWheatfarmer]

Sow is a good candidate for the IR-return. Good call.

 

[n1997y]

I am hoping Bourne can return to practice this week and then be dealt for a late round pick. Whether we cut or trade him, we still take a dead cap hit of $1.4 million and save $6.3 million. It would just be nice to have a late pick rather than letting him go for free.

If he’s not on the roster he will be IR DTR.

 

[The Gr8est]

Seems like a good place to stick this:

Nick Cattles was discussing Elijah Ponder this morning and pointed out how effusive LBs coach Mike Smith was when discussing Ponder.

Made it sound like Ponder is a lock.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm still confused. I thought the two IR's had to be on the final 53?

They changed that stupid rule in 2024. Now teams no longer need to cut healthy players to DTR healthy ones (unless they have three).

 

[ctpatsfan77]

5) I don't see any of the current IR people being one of the two to return. At first, I though Dial might be included, but coming back from a torn ACL shouldn't be rushed. Dial will be back next year competing to be a ST team player and 5th CB. He is signed though 2027.

They cannot return.

 

[n1997y]

They cannot return.

Don’t believe that’s the way it works.

But we will see next week.

 

[jdlboot14]

2025 NFL IR rules

The NFL Injured Reserve (IR) rules for the 2025 season govern how teams manage players sidelined by football-related injuries
.
Here's a summary of the 2025 NFL IR rules:

• Definition: The "Reserve/Injured" list is for players unable to play due to football-related injuries requiring them to miss significant time.
• Roster and Salary Cap Impact: Players on IR do not count against the 53-man active roster limit but their salary still counts against the team's salary cap.
• Minimum Games Missed: A player must miss a minimum of four games after being placed on IR before they are eligible to return.
• Designated to Return:
  • Teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season, with an additional two possible in the postseason.
  • An individual player can be designated to return twice, with each instance counting against the team limit.
• Pre-season IR Designation: Teams can designate up to two players to return from IR or NFI lists during the final roster cutdown, and these players are eligible to return after missing four games. Previously, players placed on IR before the regular season were ineligible to return.

This info is great. I wasn't sure about the pre-cutdown IR being DTR this year. That's so helpful for our situation.
And using both on WR's might be the best solution for us.
Honestly, it could be Bourne, Polk, Baker or Chism - as a way to protect them from waivers and, in the case of Bourne, see how the rest of the WR corp performs. Because in a vacuum, others should be more explosive or talented, but football is not played on paper or in an objective vacuum, and Bourne might be the most consistent and trustworthy for THIS particular situation with JMD & Maye.

 

[jmt57]

My understanding is that the only way a player currently on IR can return this year would be if they are cut (ie, waived with an injury settlement) and then re-signed.

The problem with doing this is that any one of the 31 other teams could claim them off waivers, or sign that player after as a free agent.
To me that is not worth the risk - especially for Larison or Lampe.

The five players this applies to are
RB Lan Larison
FB Brock Lampe
OT Yasir Durant
CB Marcellas Dial
DT Jaquelin Roy

 

[n1997y]

My understanding is that the only way a player currently on IR can return this year would be if they are cut (ie, waived with an injury settlement) and then re-signed.

The problem with doing this is that any one of the 31 other teams could sign that player.
To me that is not worth the risk - especially for Larison or Lampe.

The five players this applies to are
RB Lan Larison
FB Brock Lampe
OT Yasir Durant
CB Marcellas Dial
DT Jaquelin Roy

Believe that’s been changed.

 

[mgteich]

My understanding is that the only way a player currently on IR can return this year would be if they are cut (ie, waived with an injury settlement) and then re-signed.

The problem with doing this is that any one of the 31 other teams could claim them off waivers, or sign that player after as a free agent.
To me that is not worth the risk - especially for Larison or Lampe.

The five players this applies to are
RB Lan Larison
FB Brock Lampe
OT Yasir Durant
CB Marcellas Dial
DT Jaquelin Roy

You are correct. I apologize for the confusion.

In any case, none of those five would be worth using the DTR for except Dial who likely won't be back this year anyway.

However, naming a currently active play DTR is of great value. The designation can only be made to two players active on Cutdown Day.

Effectively, we do indeed cut down to 55 players: 53 active and 2 DTR (should we use them). To me, Polk and Bourne are the ones that I would choose. There is plenty of room on the roster for Sow, Tavai and Williams.

In a sense, it doesn't really matter. Let us say we have 5 players we want on IR. I'm not sure it makes a difference which 2 are designated DTR on Cutdown Day and which 3 are put on IR DTR the next day.

 

[jmt57]

Believe that’s been changed.

I thought that was only for two players placed on IR on the Tuesday Aug 26 roster cutdown date (not previously placed on IR), but I may be mistaken in my interpretation.

The explanations I'm finding are a bit ambiguous, and often contradict one another.


This article states a preseason IR designation means the player is done for the year - unless perhaps the author was relying on outdated IR rules information:

Patriots' Brock Lampe: Placed on IR

Patriots' Brock Lampe: Placed on IR

www.cbssports.com

The Patriots placed Lampe on injured reserve Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury.

It's unclear what type of injury Lampe is working through, but by being placed on IR, he will be forced to miss the entire 2025 season unless he is waived by the Patriots with an injury settlement. The Northern Illinois product was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in early May.


This one from the Chargers team website sounded to me as though none of those five players can return:

What To Know About 2025 NFL 53-Man Roster Cutdown Deadline

Teams can place up to two players on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, August 26. Those players can return to the team after sitting out a minimum of four games.


But this column makes it sound as if they can return:

From IR and PUP to practice squads: What do NFL roster designations mean?

NFL rosters constantly evolve as general managers juggle injuries, evaluations and potential player acquisitions.

apnews.com

Players are put on the reserve/injured list — more commonly referred to as IR — when they have a football-related injury and need to miss at least a few weeks. Players on IR don’t count against the active roster, but their salaries count against the cap.

If a player is placed on this list before the regular season begins, he could miss the entire season unless they are designated to return during the roster cutdown to 53 players after training camp. Teams can designate up to two such players to return.

Players on IR need to miss a minimum of four games. NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season (and up to 10 if they make the postseason) and an individual player can be so designated twice.

Players designated for return from IR before the season count against a team’s eight- or 10-player limit.



It all may be a moot point regarding some of these players, depending on the severity of their injuries. Larison's foot injury sounded severe, but that's conjecture. As far as I know we never heard any specifics on Lampe's injury.

 

[Toofy]

You are correct. I apologize for the confusion.

In any case, none of those four would be worth using the DTR for except Dial who likely won't be back anyway.

However, naming a currently active play DTR is of great value. The designation can only be made to two players active on Cutdown Day.

Effectively, we do indeed cut down to 55 players: 53 active and 2 DTR (should we use them). To me, Polk and Bourne are the ones that I would choose.

Sow and Polk unless Polk wants to leave in which case Bourne takes his place

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Here's the memo (emphasis mine):

Clubs are permitted to designate for return a maximum of two (2) players who are placed on an applicable Reserve List during the business day of the final roster reduction. Such designation must be reported at the time of the Reserve List placement and will count against the Club's maximum number of designations.

I'd love to be wrong and see Larison return, but I don't think I am.

 

[n1997y]

I thought that was only for two players placed on IR on the Tuesday Aug 26 roster cutdown date (not previously placed on IR), but I may be mistaken in my interpretation.

The explanations I'm finding are a bit ambiguous, and often contradict one another.


This article states a preseason IR designation means the player is done for the year - unless perhaps the author was relying on outdated IR rules information:

Patriots' Brock Lampe: Placed on IR

Patriots' Brock Lampe: Placed on IR

www.cbssports.com

The Patriots placed Lampe on injured reserve Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury.

It's unclear what type of injury Lampe is working through, but by being placed on IR, he will be forced to miss the entire 2025 season unless he is waived by the Patriots with an injury settlement. The Northern Illinois product was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in early May.


This one from the Chargers team website sounded to me as though none of those five players can return:

What To Know About 2025 NFL 53-Man Roster Cutdown Deadline

Teams can place up to two players on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, August 26. Those players can return to the team after sitting out a minimum of four games.


But this column makes it sound as if they can return:

From IR and PUP to practice squads: What do NFL roster designations mean?

NFL rosters constantly evolve as general managers juggle injuries, evaluations and potential player acquisitions.

apnews.com

Players are put on the reserve/injured list — more commonly referred to as IR — when they have a football-related injury and need to miss at least a few weeks. Players on IR don’t count against the active roster, but their salaries count against the cap.

If a player is placed on this list before the regular season begins, he could miss the entire season unless they are designated to return during the roster cutdown to 53 players after training camp. Teams can designate up to two such players to return.

Players on IR need to miss a minimum of four games. NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season (and up to 10 if they make the postseason) and an individual player can be so designated twice.

Players designated for return from IR before the season count against a team’s eight- or 10-player limit.



It all may be a moot point regarding some of these players, depending on the severity of their injuries. Larison's foot injury sounded severe, but that's conjecture. As far as I know we never heard any specifics on Lampe's injury.

Yes, same here.

I found the governing document, which is the NFL Bylaws. Unfortunately the versions I’ve found online are all very much out of date. From my reading of them it was still ambiguous but still hinted that players designated for IR during preseason could still be DTR on cutdown day although that was nothing conclusive. Given where those provisions are documented I think there’s some room for interpretation, as long as they don’t cause affront to the NFLPA under the CBA.

AFAIK neither Bourne nor Polk have been placed on IR so they could still be put on IR DTR on cutdown day if they don’t make the roster and the team wants an insurance policy against losing a receiver midseason.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yes, same here.

I found the governing document, which is the NFL Bylaws. Unfortunately the versions I’ve found online are all very much out of date. From my reading of them it was still ambiguous but still hinted that players designated for IR during preseason could still be DTR on cutdown day although that was nothing conclusive. Given where those provisions are documented I think there’s some room for interpretation, as long as they don’t cause affront to the NFLPA under the CBA.

AFAIK neither Bourne nor Polk have been placed on IR so they could still be put on IR DTR on cutdown day if they don’t make the roster and the team wants an insurance policy against losing a receiver midseason.

See my post above; here's the full text that was released:




Mod Edit: here is the full text:

 

[PatsFan2]

Sow is a good candidate for the IR-return. Good call.

Gee I hope not! we can get him on our Taxi squad... mediocre player.