CHARLOTTE — Welcome to the busiest paperwork week of the NFL calendar.

NFL teams have to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 this week, to get to the regular season roster limit.

That means nearly 1,200 players will be let go, which is obviously most difficult for them.

But teams have to navigate possible waiver claims and add a practice squad as they continue to look for ways to upgrade over the coming week.

Whatever you do, don't call these final cuts, because nothing about this week is final. You can see the full Panthers roster here, and bookmark the transactions page for all the latest.

When is the deadline to get to the 53-man roster limit?

Teams have to make their cuts and other moves to get to the 53-man limit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

What happens to players who are released?

Vested veterans (guys with at least four years of experience) become unrestricted free agents immediately and can sign with the team of their choosing.

Players with fewer than four years of experience are subject to waivers, in which teams can make claims, and are awarded players based on last year's draft order.

The Panthers are eighth in waiver-claim order, as opposed to last year when they were first.

Are the Panthers likely to claim players off waivers?

The fact that seven teams are in line in front of them makes it less likely than last year, when they claimed six (turning over 11.3 percent of the roster, which is why you don't call them "final cuts").

GM Dan Morgan said during Thursday's broadcast on the Panthers Television Network that since they're eighth in claim order this year, they might have to do business differently.

"I think last year compared to this year, we were looking for like starters at the waiver wire and depth guys that were going to play an important role," Morgan said. "This year, we don't feel so much that way. We feel good about our roster; we just feel good about the roster as a whole that we're starting to gain some depth. We're starting to get the kind of players that we want to get here.

"But to your point, if we want to, since we're eighth in the order (this year), if we need to, we can swap late round picks if we really like a guy just to kind of get ahead of it. So there are ways to kind of get ahead of it. We're always looking into things. We're always going to be creative and try to do things to make this roster a better roster."

Claims have to be submitted by noon on Wednesday.

Whenever a team claims and is awarded a player from waivers, they have to release someone on their current roster.

What about players who are injured?

Teams can place a maximum of two players on injured reserve before final cuts and still allow them to return during the season. They have to miss at least four games before they're eligible to return.

After the 53-man roster is established, teams can place more players on injured reserve. They can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the course of the season.

What about players on the physically unable to perform list?

Second-year running back Jonathon Brooks will remain on the PUP list through this season. He has counted toward the 90-man roster throughout the offseason, but won't count against the 53. He's out for the year after last year's second injury to the ACL he tore in college.

When can teams sign a practice squad?

Teams can begin signing players who clear waivers after noon on Wednesday.

Teams can sign 16 players to the practice squad, plus a 17th if they're part of the league's International Player Pathway program. The Panthers have an IPP player in camp, English linebacker Maz Mwansa.

Who is eligible to sign to the practice squad?

Teams can sign up to six veterans with unlimited experience to the practice squad. The rest of the spots are for players with two or fewer accrued seasons.

Can players come up from the practice squad?

Teams can elevate practice squad players for a game up to three times during the regular season. After the third elevation, they'd have to be signed to the 53-man roster to play in a game.

Last year, 13 of the 16 players on the Panthers' practice squad during Week 1 ended up being activated for at least one game.

Practice squad players can be signed to another team's active roster, but they cannot move laterally from one practice squad to another.