The NFL has announced all waiver claims that were made by teams around the league. While the majority of the attention is paid to the names of the players who were, or were not, claimed during the process, there is something to be learned from the teams and positions involved in the process.
Teams that lost the most talent
Having players claimed by another team who were not quite talented enough to make your final roster can be an indication of a wealth of talent across the roster or at a particular position. These are the teams that had the most players claimed by others this year.
Green Bay and San Francisco are generally considered to be two of the most talented rosters in the league. Seeing them tied for the lead in players claimed would support that notion. The more interesting story falls below.
Dallas is probably not a surprise to show up in the second tier, with two players claimed, but the rest of that tier might raise an eyebrow. The Seahawks, Titans, Colts, and Commanders being tied for the second-most players claimed could indicate there is more talent on those rosters than the average fan may know.
The other group that is interesting is the “zero tier.” Teams like Buffalo, Miami, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Detroit are considered some of the most talented teams in the league, but had no players claimed.
Teams with the biggest needs
The inverse view tells you which teams have the most holes in their rosters. Claiming a player and putting him on your 53-man roster that another team would have signed to their practice squad is a signal there is a deficiency. These are the teams that claimed the most players and signaled their roster might be furthest from being competitive.
The Panthers had the top spot in the waiver order as they had the worst record in football last year. That has some impact on how many claims they would put in as they would get the most opportunities to grab players they like. Still, claiming six players is a pretty big indication the roster is problematic.
New England had the second pick and is seen as a roster far from contending. No surprise they have the second-most claims.
It was interesting to see the Titans show up as a team that had two players claimed by other teams and two players that they nabbed from other rosters. None of the other teams in the top four of claiming players even had a single player claimed by another organization.
Of the teams who had at least two players claimed by other teams, these are the ones who claimed zero themselves:
- Seattle
- San Francisco
- Dallas
- Washington
This is another potential indicator of roster strength/depth. Washington is the most surprising team on that list.
Most common positions claimed
Fans fret every year about losing a player they loved in preseason through the waiver process. Knowing which positions are most commonly claimed can help get a better feel about what risk a team is taking by letting the player walk. These are the most commonly claimed positions this year.
Defensive back was far and away the most popular waiver claim with eight players changing teams. After that, it was surprising to see running back in the second tier given the relatively low value assigned to that position. It is possible the new kickoff rule has made that a more valuable special teams role.
Linebacker is a common special teams role, which likely contributes to that joining the second tier despite the relatively low market value of inside linebackers.
Edge and offensive tackle are premium positions, so it is not surprising to see teams take chances on prospects there.