2013 Nfl Practice Squad Rules

[Dan T.]

With final cut downs upon us, there will be discussion about what players should be stashed on the practice squad, and there always seems to be some confusion as to what players are actually eligible for the practice squad. I thought it would be a good idea to post the most current NFL rules regarding the practice squad.

 

This was pulled from SBNation.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/8/31/4677982/nfl-practice-squad-salary-rules-eligibility

 

 

Practice squad basics

• Each NFL team can have up to eight players on their practice squad.
• Practice squad players ... practice with the team. They do not play in games.
• Not all players are eligible to be signed to NFL practice squads (more on that below).
• Practice squad players are paid per week and can be released at any point during the season.
• Practice squad players are free to sign with other NFL teams, assuming they are signed to the 53-man active roster. A practice squad player cannot be signed to another practice squad unless he is first released.
• A practice squad player can not sign with their team's upcoming opponent, unless they do so six days before the upcoming game or 10 days if their team is currently on a bye week.
• If a practice squad player is signed to the active roster, they will receiver a minimum of three paychecks, even if they are released before spending three weeks with the team.
• In order to be signed to a practice squad after being released, a player must first clear through waivers.

Eligibility

 

Practice squads are considered to be for developmental purposes. Therefore, veterans are not eligible to be signed to the practice squad. In fact, players with more than one year of accrued NFL service are not eligible. Here is a closer look at the eligibility requirements.

• A player is eligible if he does not have an accrued season of NFL experience. Players gain an accrued season by being on the active roster for at least six games.
• If a player has one accrued season, they can still be practice squad eligible if they were on the 45-man active gameday roster for less than nine regular season games.
• A player is deemed to have served a season on the practice squad if he remains on the practice squad for at least three weeks. Players are eligible to be on the practice squad for two seasons.
• Players can be eligible for a third practice squad season if their team maintains no less than 53 players on the active/inactive list at all times.

Salary

 

Practice squad players earn significantly less than players on the active roster, but they still take home a solid weekly paycheck. NFL practice squad players make a minimum of $6,000 per week they are on the practice squad. There is no limit to how much a team can pay a player on the practice squad. Some will offer a higher weekly salary in order to entice better players to sign, although the practice squad contracts do count against the salary cap.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example, have paid practice squad players significantly more in recent seasons. In 2010, Tampa Bay offered wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe a contract worth equivalent to the minimum salary to entice him to sign to its practice squad.

If a player remains on the practice squad for an entire regular season, he would earn $102,000. A player with less than one accrued season on the active roster would earn a minimum salary of $405,000.

 

 

There is one exception to this called the Contagious Disease Addendum, which was first added in June 2010 in a side letter agreement to the last CBA. This states that if a player is promoted from the practice squad for a game because a club was given a roster exemption due to confirmed or suspected cases of contagious disease among its players, the player remains on his practice squad contract, but will be paid 1/17 of the league minimum salary. After the game he will be returned to the practice squad without having to clear waivers.

[Johns Bass]

Practice squad salaries also count against the cap so teams cannot stash players at a high salary.

[Dan T.]

Practice squad salaries also count against the cap so teams cannot stash players at a high salary.

 

 

Practice squad salaries do count against the cap, but teams can pay over the minimum to practice squad players.

[Riggo'sRangers]

Thank you all for these clarifications.  Any edge, mainly because of the capgate (MARA) BS, is needed, and necessary.  HTTR

[haildcsports]

If a practice squad player is signed by another team, does the original team (who's practice squad the player was on) get a chance to sign the player to their active roster and not lose the player.

Hope that made sense.

[CrypticVillain]

If a practice squad player is signed by another team, does the original team (who's practice squad the player was on) get a chance to sign the player to their active roster and not lose the player. Hope that made sense.

I think I know what you are saying, and I think the answer is yes. I think I have heard of instances where somebody on a team's practice squad was about to get signed by another team, so their original team added them to their 53 man roster so the other team wouldn't sign them.

 

Hold on let me see if I can explain it better.

 

player is on Team A's practice squad. Team B tries to sign player from Team A's practice squad. So Team A signs player to the main roster so Team B doesn't get player.

 

I think that is how I remembered it happening.

[haildcsports]

That was exactly what I was going for. Thanks.

[DC9]

I think I know what you are saying, and I think the answer is yes. I think I have heard of instances where somebody on a team's practice squad was about to get signed by another team, so their original team added them to their 53 man roster so the other team wouldn't sign them.

 

Hold on let me see if I can explain it better.

 

player is on Team A's practice squad. Team B tries to sign player from Team A's practice squad. So Team A signs player to the main roster so Team B doesn't get player.

 

I think that is how I remembered it happening.

 

 

Yes, we've done that twice in the past three years.  Once with Aldrick Robinson (we cut Ryan Torain for AlRob) and once with Tom Compton (can't remember who we cut, maybe Markus White?).

 

Also, if a team successfully signs a player away from the practice squad that player has to go on the that teams 53 man roster for 3 or 4 weeks (I can't remember which).

[CrypticVillain]

I knew I remembered it happening before with us. Just didn't know who it was.

[DC9]

I knew I remembered it happening before with us. Just didn't know who it was.

 

Yeah, we also gave Tom Compton a raise two weeks before we ended up bringing him up (as Dan mentioned earlier in the thread).  This group this year is strong.  Wouldn't be surprised if we lost one or two.  We can't keep everyone unfortunately.

[Hitman21ST]

Is there compensation for us if another team signs someone off our PS to their active roster and he stays on their team past the current season?

[DC9]

Is there compensation for us if another team signs someone off our PS to their active roster and he stays on their team past the current season?

 

Nope, it's the wild west of roster moves. 

 

And it's not in the formula for compensatory picks either.  That has to be a FA who signs elsewhere.  Not that we'd ever get one of those anyway.

[JaxJoe]

I too have a question.  It may sound dumb but can a practice squad player refuse an offer from another team's 53?

 

A situation might be towards the end of the season, another team with a lousy record needs a back-up due to an injury, But, the practice squad player thinks he has a better future with his current team and there may be only one or two weeks of full-pay vs practice quad pay.

 

Just curious.

[Hitman21ST]

I too have a question.  It may sound dumb but can a practice squad player refuse an offer from another team's 53?

 

A situation might be towards the end of the season, another team with a lousy record needs a back-up due to an injury, But, the practice squad player thinks he has a better future with his current team and there may be only one or two weeks of full-pay vs practice quad pay.

 

Just curious.

 

I would assume so. As I know it, the new team offers a contract (presumably higher than the PS salary), and the player has the option to sign it or not. Just like a free agent has the ability to refuse an offer.

[DC9]

I too have a question.  It may sound dumb but can a practice squad player refuse an offer from another team's 53?

 

A situation might be towards the end of the season, another team with a lousy record needs a back-up due to an injury, But, the practice squad player thinks he has a better future with his current team and there may be only one or two weeks of full-pay vs practice quad pay.

 

Just curious.

 

 

Yes, Hitman is right.  The player can refuse.  One example, Parcells had some conversations with Romo sits to pee when a couple of other teams were talking to him early in his days with the Cowboys.  Parcells would say "we have some big plans for you just trust us," and **** to that effect. 

 

That's a rare player though.

[pjfootballer]

Some things about the practice squad I'd love to see changed:

 

1) You should be able to "stash" away 8 FIRST YEAR players for the practice squad without anyone being able to pluck them.  Most of them are rookies and are trying to learn the system.  This will help in their development to stay at least 1 year in the system.  There are plenty of "free agent" street players teams can pick up to either put on their roster or on their practice squad.

 

2) If you choose to place a 2nd year player on the PS that is eligible.  They would be eligible to be plucked off the practice squad, but the same rules would apply in that they would have to add him to the 53 man roster and couldn't put them on their own PS.

 

I think it's bad that you take the time to scout, draft and evaluate a player (Jawan Jamison for example) or a player coming off an injury (Chase Minnifield) and any other team can just steal him away.  I'd like to at least be able to have a lock on 1st year players.  Yes, teams will probably put eight 1st year players on the PS, but like I said, there are plenty of street free agent veterans and rookies out there.