You never know when NFL waiver claims are going to wind up being key players on your roster. NFL teams may not be able to get starters on the waiver wire all the time, but you never know at roster cuts when teams are going to give up on draft picks, maybe even some players your scouting department really liked coming out. It’s also worth looking into guys that didn’t make deeper rosters around the league and see how they can factor into your roster.
At worst, the waiver wire at the time of final roster cuts can be used as a way to fortify some of the meat of your roster — guys who will be key backups, play special teams, and perhaps even some developmental players worth the time of your coaching staff. There were 33 NFL waiver claims made after final roster cuts on Tuesday, and some of those moves are worth keeping a close eye on.
What were the top five NFL waiver claims made after final roster cuts? A handful were made by the Chicago Bears, but there were some pretty intriguing ones worth keeping an eye on.
Top 5 NFL waiver claims after final roster cuts: Tyler Johnson, WR, Houston Texans
The best move among the waiver claims goes to the Houston Texans, who had to be sweating it out a little bit with their division rivals in Jacksonville also needing help at wide receiver as the waiver wire moves were processed by the league.
The Texans carried just four receivers on their initial 53-man roster including starters Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, but they needed depth in the worst way. Based on the look of Houston’s roster and potential depth chart, it’s not out of the question to think that Tyler Johnson could ascend to WR3 status there sooner than later. Rookie John Metchie is not going to play this year so the Texans definitely needed additional weapons for young quarterback Davis Mills, and Johnson seems like the cream of the crop from this year’s roster cuts to hit the waiver wire.
When the Bucs let him go, fans across the league expressed their shock considering Johnson had a really strong preseason for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers must have not been able to trade him even for a late-round pick despite his talent, and the Houston Texans are now reaping the benefits.