waiver wires

Noun

waiver wire (countable and uncountable, plural waiver wires)

1. (Canada, US) a league-wide list to which an inexperienced player is added for a short period when cut from a team's roster; any team in the league may make a claim for the player during the period, at the end of which the lowest ranking claimant has right of first refusal, or the player may become a free agent if unclaimed
   • Typically, the waiver wire process is 24 hours, but on cutdown day, it’s slightly shorter.2025 August 26, Saad Yousuf, “NFL waiver wire explained: What happens when players are released on cutdown day”, in The Athletic, The New York Times

   Synonyms:

   waivers

2. (Canada, US) a similar period during which managers can claim a player, with successful claimants decided in various ways depending on the league.