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Cut day is one of the worst days on the calendar for NFL players. The league's rosters are reduced from 90 men to 53, meaning a whopping 1,184 players are looking for work.
Luckily, the NFL has a method for teams to keep talented players in the fold. Each team has a practice squad that allows it to keep up to 17 players in the organization.
The practice squad has always been important, but its significance has been magnified since the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFL has loosened its rules regarding who is eligible for the practice squad rosters and increased the size of the unit from 10 to 17.
Practice squads give veteran players and young roster hopefuls a chance to keep their NFL dreams alive while developing in a professional camp. It also ensures that each team has quality depth for when injuries inevitably impact players on their 53-man roster.
Here's how the practice squads for all 32 teams stack up as they form ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
MORE: Tracking NFL's final roster cuts for all 32 teams in 2024
NFL practice squad signings: 2024 rosters for all 32 NFL teams
NFL teams began forming their practice squads on Wednesday, Aug. 28 — about 24 hours after the league's 53-man roster deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 28. The league allows teams to sign up to 17 players to the practice squad in 2024, provided that at least one player is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
Below are the initial practice squad rosters (as announced by teams and various reports) for each NFL team.
49ers practice squad
- DE Jonathan Garvin
- DB Chase Lucas
- S Tracy Walker
Bears practice squad
- LB Micah Baskerville
- OL Theo Benedet
- TE Stephen Carlson
- DL Byron Cowart
- OL Jake Curhan
- LS Scott Daly
- WR Collin Johnson
- DB Quindell Johnson
- LB Carl Jones
- DL Jamree Kromah
- DL Dashaun Mallory
- DB Tarvarius Moore
- QB Austin Reed
- DL Sam Roberts
- DB Reddy Steward
- DB Ro Torrence
- WR Samori Toure
Bengals practice squad
- CB Nate Brooks
- WR Cole Burgess
- OT Devin Cochran
- DT Domenique Davis
- CB Jalen Davis
- TE Cam Grandy
- LB Shaka Heyward
- C Trey Hill
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- S PJ Jules
- WR Kendric Pryor
- QB Logan Woodside
Bills practice squad
- DT Eli Ankou
- WR Deon Cain
- OL Will Clapp
- DE Kameron Cline
- DB Te'Cory Couch
- TE Zach Davidson
- DT Branson Deen
- OL Mike Edwards
- RB Frank Gore Jr.
- OL Richard Gouraige
- WR KJ Hamler
- CB Daequan Hardy
- S Kareem Jackson
- DE Kingsley Jonathan
- WR Tyrell Shavers
- WR Jalen Virgil
- QB Mike White
Broncos practice squad
- RB Tyler Badie
- WR Michael Bandy
- FB Mike Burton
- G Nick Gargiulo
- DE Matt Henningsen
- WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey
- DB Tanner McCalister
- DT Jordan Miller
- CB Quinton Newsome
- G Will Sherman
- WR David Sills
- CB Reese Taylor
- G Calvin Throckmorton
- OLB Dondrea Tillman
- TE Thomas Yassmin
Browns practice squad
- DT Jowon Briggs
- CB Tony Brown II
- WR Jaelon Darden
- S Christopher Edmonds
- CB Mike Ford
- CB Justin Hardee Jr.
- OT Germain Ifedi
- DL Sam Kamara
- OT Roy Mbaeteka
- WR James Proche II
- LB Winston Reid
- LS Rex Sunahara
- OT Lorenzo Thompson
- WR Michael Woods II
Buccaneers practice squad
Cardinals practice squad
- OL Marquis Hayes
- QB Desmond Ridder
Chargers practice squad
Chiefs practice squad
- S Deon Bush
- WR Justyn Ross
- QB Bailey Zappe
Colts practice squad
- LB Austin Ajiake
- LB Liam Anderson
- DE Genard Avery
- QB Jason Bean
- S Marcel Dabo
- RB Evan Hull
- CB Chris Lammons
- WR D.J. Montgomery
- CB Jaylin Simpson
- CB Ameer Speed
- WR Laquon Treadwell
Commanders practice squad
- RB Kazmeir Allen
- CB Chigozie Anusiem
- G Julian Good-Jones
- QB Sam Hartman
- DE Andre Jones Jr.
- DT Haggai Ndubuisi
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- WR Mitchell Tinsley
- WR Brycen Tremayne
- TE Cole Turner
- DE Carlos Watkins
- RB Michael Wiley
Cowboys practice squad
- RB Dalvin Cook
- WR Jalen Cropper
- TE Princeton Fant
Dolphins practice squad
- WR Dee Eskridge
- DT Naquan Jones
Eagles practice squad
- LB Oren Burks
- WR Parris Campbell
- RB Tyrion Davis-Price
- OL Nick Gates
- QB Will Grier
- DT Gabe Hall
- TE E.J. Jenkins
- C Dylan McMahon
- WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
- S Andre Sam
- LB Brandon Smith
- S Caden Stearns
- TE Jack Stoll
- OL Laekin Vakalahi
Falcons practice squad
Giants practice squad
- FB Jakob Johnson
- K Jude McAtamney
Jaguars practice squad
- TE Shawn Bowman
- CB Christian Braswell
- WR Joshua Cephus
- DE D.J. Coleman
- WR Elijah Cooks
- TE Josiah Deguara
- S Terrell Edmunds
- CB Tre Flowers
- DE Joe Gaziano
- RB Jalen Jackson
- OL Steven Jones
- LB Tanner Muse
- QB E.J. Perry
- WR Austin Trammell
Jets practice squad
- S Lewis Cine
- OL Jake Hanson
- OL Kohl Levao
- WR Brandon Smith
Lions practice squad
- DE Mitch Agude
- QB Jake Fromm
Packers practice squad
- DL Deslin Alexandre
- QB Sean Clifford
- DL James Ester
- K Alex Hale
- WR Julian Hicks
- G/T Donovan Jennings
- CB Kalen King
- RB Nate McCrary
- RB Ellis Merriweather
- CB Robert Rochell
- G/C Lecitus Smith
- TE Messiah Swinson
Panthers practice squad
- RB Mike Boone
- G Mason Brooks
- S Alex Cook
- OLB Kenny Dyson
- CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
- TE Jordan Matthews
- DL Walter Palmore
- QB Jack Plummer
- DL T.J. Smith
- LB Chandler Wooten
Patriots practice squad
- RB Terrell Jennings
- DB A.J. Thomas
Raiders practice squad
Rams practice squad
Ravens practice squad
Saints practice squad
- WR Kevin Austin
- TE Michael Jacobson
- G Shane Lemieux
- K Charlie Smyth
Seahawks practice squad
- DT Kyon Barrs
- CB Artie Burns
- RB George Holani
- DE DeVere Levelston
- LB Tyreke Smith
- WR Easop Winston Jr.
Steelers practice squad
Texans practice squad
Titans practice squad
Vikings practice squad
- RB Myles Gaskin
- DB Bobby McCain
- DE Bo Richter
MORE: Ranking the top 32 NFL quarterbacks for 2024, from Patrick Mahomes to Gardner Minshew
How much are NFL practice squad players paid?
The NFL has two separate brackets that it uses to determine the salaries of practice squad players.
Players with two or fewer seasons in the NFL are paid weekly at a fixed rate. That salary is set at $12,500 for the 2024 NFL season but will increase for the duration of the league's current CBA, which runs through the 2030 season.
Year | Weekly salary |
---|
2024 | $12,500 |
2025 | $13,000 |
2026 | $13,750 |
2027 | $14,500 |
2028 | $15,250 |
2029 | $16,000 |
2030 | $16,750 |
The other bracket is for NFL veterans with three or more accrued seasons. Unlike the younger practice squad signees, they do not have a set salary. They are able to negotiate their payments within a predetermined range.
The minimum weekly salary for a vet on the practice squad in 2024 is $16,800, while the maximum is $21,300.
Year | Minimum salary | Maximum salary |
---|
2024 | $16,800 | $21,300 |
2025 | $17,500 | $22,000 |
2026 | $18,350 | $22,850 |
2027 | $19,200 | $23,700 |
2028 | $20,900 | $25,400 |
2029 | $20,900 | $25,400 |
2030 | $21,750 | $26,250 |
How many players are on an NFL practice squad?
Beginning in 2024, NFL teams are allowed to carry 17 players on their practice squads — provided that one of the players is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
This marks the second expansion of practice squad limits since 2020. The size limit used to be 10 but was expanded to 16 in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, the NFL provided teams an exemption to acquire a 17th practice squad player if an international player didn't make a team's 53-man roster, cleared waivers and was a part of the IPP. Those players weren't eligible to be signed or elevated to the active roster if they did not make it out of training camp.
Now, the 17th player is eligible to be elevated to the team's active roster a maximum of three times during the current NFL season before needing to sign to the 53-man roster to continue playing.
Who is eligible for an NFL practice squad?
Any player is eligible to sign to an NFL practice squad, but the NFL has certain restrictions in place to ensure the practice squad remains a place to develop young talent.
Of the 17 practice squad players, 10 must have two or fewer accrued NFL seasons. The other six do not have any limitations and are characterized as "veterans." And one player must be a part of the NFL's International Pathway Program if a team wants to carry 17 players.
The qualifications for the practice squad are as follows:
- Players who do not have an accrued season of NFL experience (rookies);
- Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s);
- Up to four players per team who have earned no more than two accrued seasons (no game limitations);
- Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of earned accrued seasons;
- At least one player who is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
Teams are allowed to protect up to four players on the practice squad each week. Other teams cannot sign these protected players.
Can NFL practice squad players play in games?
Yes, practice squad players can play in games. They must be added to a team's game-day roster for that to happen.
NFL clubs can elevate up to two practice squad players on game day to expand their roster to 55 players. Seven players must be designated as inactive, which leaves 48 players to participate in the contest.
After the game ends, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad. Players can only be elevated three times in one season. After that, the team must sign them to the active roster if they wish to have them play in more games.
Can practice squad players sign with other teams?
Yes, practice squad players can sign with other teams. The only stipulation is that they must sign onto another team's 53-man roster to make the move. They cannot jump from one practice squad to another unless they are waived or released.
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