The Arizona Cardinals enter the waiver process in a strong spot after Sunday’s roster cuts, sitting third in the NFL’s claim order.
That matters because players with under four credited seasons have to clear waivers before they can land on a new team. If a club claims one of those players, it has to put him on its active roster, which means making another move to open a spot.
For Arizona, the advantage is obvious: the Cardinals are high enough in the order that they would be awarded any player they claim unless the Las Vegas Raiders or New York Jets also put in a claim. The waiver priority is tied to this year’s original draft order, and Arizona comes in at No. 3.
The full 2026 waiver claim order runs from the Raiders at No. 1 through the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks at the bottom of the list.
The order is: Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks.
The waiver window closes at noon ET, and by later this morning Cardinals fans will know whether Arizona was awarded any players.
In Other News...
Cardinals Fans Have Seen Where Greg Dortch Still Carries Real Value
Greg Dortchs next stop is taking him back to where his football journey began, with the veteran wide receiver and punt return specialist signing with the Buffalo Bills practice squad in the city where he was born. After being released by the Detroit Lions during final roster cuts, Dortch now lands in a place that also gives him a familiar face on the coaching staff and a chance to carve out a role with a team looking for answers in the return game.
For Cardinals fans, it is another reminder of why Dortch kept showing up as a useful piece in Arizona over five seasons. He never had to be a headline act to matter, and his value often came in the margins, where dependable return work and roster flexibility can swing a week. Buffalo is betting that same versatility can help solve an immediate special teams need, and if it works, it will only reinforce what Cardinals followers already know about how useful he can be. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Quietly Addressed A Depth Concern Fans Should Notice
The Cardinals kept working the margins of the roster with a pair of practice squad additions, bringing in defensive lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte and offensive lineman Vershon Lee. It is the kind of move that does not make headlines outside the building, but it does speak to how teams quietly patch holes and keep bodies in place as the season grinds on.
Harrison-Hunte has already spent time with Carolina after a college career that took him from Miami to SMU, while Lee arrives after a stint with Minnesota following his years at South Carolina. For Arizona, the appeal is straightforward: add developmental depth, give the coaching staff more options, and make sure the next injury or workload spike does not leave the room thin in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Roster Cuts Squeezed Out Some Veterans Fans Expected To Stay
The Cardinals first 53-man roster of the 2026 season reflected how competitive camp had been from top to bottom, with every healthy rookie surviving the cut and a handful of expected veterans left on the outside. Arizona also leaned into some deeper position battles, carrying an unusually high number of wide receivers and safeties as it sorted out the back end of the roster.
For a team trying to balance proven names against younger, cheaper options, the decisions were especially noticeable at linebacker and in the secondary. Azeez Ojulari and Marcus Murphy-Bunting were among the veterans released, while Keaontay Ingram and sixth-round rookie inside linebacker Sharar made the initial team, underscoring how much the Cardinals valued preseason performance and roster flexibility. [Read more 🡒]