Sep 23, 2021

  • Jeremy FowlerESPN Staff Author

    Shut

    • ESPN staff writer
    • Previously a higher football reporter for CBSSports.com
    • University of Florida graduate

NFL do squads used to exist an reconsideration, a place for late-round picks and undrafted rookies to develop behind the scenes. Now, those squads are well-stocked with veterans who one time racked up millions -- practiced players taking jobs they never idea they'd need for less than 30 cents on the league-minimum dollar.

Recently expanded practice squads and dominion changes are allowing teams to stash well-known talent, essentially owning their rights without placing them on agile rosters. The latest example is wide receiver Kenny Stills, who one time played on a $32 million deal. Now, he'due south a Saints practice-squader. Running back Le'Veon Bell, who has 48 career touchdowns and three seasons with more ane,200 rushing yards, is currently sitting on the Ravens' do squad. It'south not such a bad gig: Players are paid to practice and stay in shape with the loose hope of getting activated on game days.

Because this is low-fundamental changing the way NFL teams are doing business this year, we figured nosotros'd bring yous upward to speed on how it all works in 2021. Here'south everything you need to know nearly how these squads work and who is currently filling them out.

How do the practice squad rosters piece of work?

Before this season, the NFL and NFL Players Clan made xvi-man practice squads permanent after experimenting with the format in 2020. From 2014 to '19, practice squads were 10 players deep, so the changes have created 192 more jobs across the league.

And here's the kicker: Upward to six of those 16 players can have unlimited NFL experience, a stark difference from the limitations of previous years, when players could have no more than two accrued NFL seasons for eligibility. And each Tuesday, teams can designate four players as protected, then they tin can't exist placed on another team's agile roster from that twenty-four hours until kickoff. Teams can still poach on Mondays, though.

Two players can exist promoted to the active roster on game days. They and then return to the do team unless the team offers a one-year deal. But teams can't activate a player more than than twice; afterward the second fourth dimension, they must decide whether to promote him to the active roster.

Why did it change last year, and why did it stay the same this twelvemonth?

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the changes. The NFL and NFLPA had originally agreed on 12-homo squads for 2020, but once it became clear that the bear on of COVID-19 could disrupt rosters across the league, both sides settled on sixteen -- then made that number permanent this year.

Practice teams like the change?

They love it! Ravens coach John Harbaugh could barely hibernate his excitement when I recently asked about the setup, calling it a "plus for everybody." Baltimore has been among the nearly ambitious to larn veteran talent.

"Hopefully they will consider these rules long-term, because it gives y'all more roster flexibility," Harbaugh said. "When you do sustain an injury, information technology allows players to be prepared when they go out there and play as opposed to guys who haven't practiced."

How do they take reward of it?

Teams are more reluctant to add practiced gratis agents to the active roster considering they have these extra practice squad spots to dangle. They know some players volition take those offers because they might get activated on game days, which means one week'southward pay at an NFL salary.

The veterans minimum is $990,000 for players with 4-5 years of experience, with a sliding scale to $1.075 meg for seven years or more. Those amounts are prorated based on number of weeks on the active roster. An 8% decrease in the salary cap due to COVID-19 already diluted the gratuitous-agency market, and this has made it more difficult to go true 1-year deals.

What nearly the players' perspective?

Several veteran NFL agents whose clients simply dealt with this call it a humbling experience for the player. These cases are all over: Role player X waits out free agency for a prominent part somewhere, counting on injuries leaguewide to open that door, merely for teams to offer the practice squad instead.

For some, that's a risk worth taking for a chance to offset. After two years with the Chiefs, center Austin Reiter turned downwardly a multimillion offering to re-sign. He wanted to go on to start. But that chance never came in free agency. Subsequently center Erik McCoy's injury in New Orleans, the Saints offered Reiter a practice squad job and elevated him in Week ii.

Baltimore offered veteran cornerback Buster Skrine the gamble to join the practice squad, but he has yet to take information technology. Running back Devonta Freeman turned downwards Baltimore in Week 1, then took the practice team job after in the calendar week after Gus Edwards' injury, figuring he would play a role on Sundays. He was called up Week ii.

"Some players are used to a certain standard and accept a hard time adjusting to going down to a practise squad," a veteran amanuensis said. "Even though information technology's sort of a bridge from unemployment to the active roster and they'll probably get called upwardly and get activated full fourth dimension, they don't ever come across information technology that manner."

Who are some of the big names on practice squads right at present?

Only start with the Ravens, who conduct running dorsum Le'Veon Bong (2-time All Pro, $45 million in career earnings), linebacker Josh Bynes (10-year NFLer), safety Anthony Levine Sr. (131 games with Baltimore since 2012) and offensive tackle Andre Smith (former offset-round pick).

Other big names include wide receivers Travis Benjamin (49ers), Phillip Dorsett Two (Jaguars) and David Moore (Raiders), quarterback Nick Mullens (Browns), kicker Nick Folk (Patriots), safeties Karl Joseph (Steelers) and Sean Davis (Bengals), corner Nickell Robey-Coleman (Lions), running dorsum Jordan Howard (Eagles), defensive terminate Ifeadi Odenigbo (Browns) and offensive tackle Bobby Hart (Bills).

In Hart's case, the Bills added the same player who received a $137,500 signing bonus from Buffalo in April as part of a one-year deal. Buffalo cut him in August, then picked him up on its exercise squad this calendar week.

By unofficial count, at least nine NFL veterans on practice squads to start Week 1 earned at least $xv 1000000 over their careers -- and that's not counting Dorsett, who has made $11.6 1000000. You could field an NFL squad comprised solely of practice team players, and that squad would compete on Sundays.

Additionally, nine quarterbacks were protected this week: Steven Montez (Lions), Kurt Benkert (Packers), Brett Rypien (Broncos), Matt Barkley (Titans), Trace McSorley (Ravens), Brett Hundley (Colts), Nick Mullens (Browns), Reid Sinnett (Dolphins) and Josh Johnson (Jets).

OK, but why are there suddenly big names at that place?

Because these are the but jobs available. The NFL squeeze-out is on. Unless you're a summit free agent still bachelor -- defensive tackle Geno Atkins isn't almost to take a practise squad chore -- players become where the piece of work is.

Can Le'Veon Bong actually not land on a real roster somewhere?

It's uncertain whether Bell received offers elsewhere, but fit was a key criterion for him. He targeted teams that prioritize the run game. Baltimore is certainly that.

Still, a player is only as good as his options, and teams had concerns about Bell's waning explosion. In 26 games with two teams, he averaged but 3.four yards per carry over the past two seasons. So this might be the best he can exercise for at present.

Why wouldn't every squad take this approach with big-name costless agents who can't find NFL deals?

Most are. Nearly every NFL team has at least one practice squad player who has logged meaningful NFL snaps over multiple years. Information technology's only that some are more than aggressive than others.

What tin can teams practice to entice players to take these jobs?

Teams say players can use the practice squad to learn the organization and improve conditioning before getting a potential telephone call-up.

"For players who have been in free bureau all offseason, information technology's practiced for them to come in and get gear up to play so that when they do get chosen upon, they are ready and tin foreclose injury," a high-ranking NFC exec said.

More available jobs allow players to be selective. Safety Sean Davis, Pittsburgh's second-round pick in 2016, had been released by Washington and Indianapolis in recent years. He wanted to make an impact somewhere. Cincinnati needed a quaternary safety afterward Ricardo Allen went to the injured reserve, so Davis signed there in Calendar week two. He got activated, and the Bengals protected his rights this week.

"It's a new normal as far every bit the business is concerned," said Davis nigh the new influence of practice squads. "My head is held loftier, and I just wanted to go somewhere where I believed I could brand plays and contribute."

For Davis, Austin Reiter and others, the hope is to get called up twice, then become activated for the rest of the year and make close to $1 meg, feeling like they were never on the practice squad at all.

New England recently worked this angle with quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was cutting and signed to the exercise team for Week one, leaving Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the game-day roster. The Patriots activated Hoyer for Week 1, then signed him outright before Week 2. They made that decision a week before the deadline, merely the transaction took the guesswork out of the backup QB spot. And on Sabbatum, Hoyer ended up signing a similar deal to the one he agreed to in the offseason: ane year, $one.075 one thousand thousand with $100,000 guaranteed.

How much does the average practice squad player make?

Players with tenure earn $fourteen,000 per week, or $252,000 per season, a nice spike from the $8,400 practice squad players used to make. And players with ii or fewer accrued NFL seasons make $9,200. Those numbers will increase exponentially over the life of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, up to $twenty,050 in 2028.

There's no room for players and teams to negotiate the money. The rates are the rates.

How does it work with the salary cap?

Do squad players practice non count against the salary cap. If someone gets promoted to the active roster, he'd be at a minimum salary that wouldn't negatively impact the cap anyhow. And then this is almost similar a revenue enhancement-gratuitous benefit, similar airline points and hotel rewards programs.

What does an boilerplate practice-squader'south week look like?

He does everything a player would during the week. He practices, does film work and eats meals at the team facility. He travels with the team for route games. But on game day, he's in street clothes unless called upwardly.

Can they be traded? Signed for ane week and released?

Only players on the agile roster tin can exist traded. Just teams can definitely sign a practise squad histrion for one week, only to release him the next. It's after Calendar week 1, which ways the salaries of vested veterans are no longer guaranteed. Then players are truly week-to-calendar week anyhow.

What would make established veterans feel meliorate nearly the practice squad setup?

Better payouts. If the league minimum is around $58,000 per game, then exercise squad coin for the well-known exercise squad players should probably be closer to $35,000 per week.