The 2024 NFL regular season is almost upon us as the preseason ends and teams cut their rosters from 90 to 53. That will, in turn, lead to teams filling out their practice squads.
Practice squad players are largely unheralded but are key parts of an NFL roster. They add depth for practices, participate in scout team work and provide extra bodies for use in emergencies.
With that in mind, what follows is a look at NFL practice squad salary structures and how practice squads work.
What are NFL practice squad salaries?
There are two categories the NFL puts practice players in. Players with two or fewer seasons of service time are in one salary bracket, while players with three or more seasons are in another. The salary structures are set through 2030 when the league's current collective bargaining agreement runs out.
Players with two or fewer seasons will be paid $12,500 per week in 2024 and that will steadily increase through the 2030 season.
Unlike players with two or fewer years, veterans of three or more seasons don't have a set salary but instead have a range and can negotiate their deals. In 2024, that range is between $16,800 and $21,300 per week.
How many players are on NFL practice squads?
The NFL has expanded practice squads for the 2024 season. They were expanded to 16 during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but for this season another spot has been added. Teams are allowed to carry 17 practice squad players as long as one of those players is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program.
Before the 2020 pandemic, practice squads were limited to only 10 players.
Can practice squad players sign with other teams?
Teams can sign other teams' practice squad players if they are being signed to the 53-man roster. They are not allowed to sign onto another team's practice squad unless they are released.
Can practice squad players play in games?
Practice squad players are eligible to play in games, but must be added to a teams game day roster. NFL teams can elevate practice squad players for on game days to increase their roster to 55 players, but only 48 players can participate in a game. That means seven players must be declared inactive.
After games, those elevated players will be sent back to the practice squad. A player can only be added to the game day roster three times in a season, after which time he must be signed to the active roster to continue playing.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as What is the NFL Practice Squad Salary?.
