FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

[stuckincincy]

Good.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24666905/report-nfl-to-increase-practice-squad-size-from-8-to-10-players

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

I'm not sure why the practice squad is limited at all. I think it should be free to as many players the team is willing to pay, and shouldn't lock players out after they've received game experience. It's not like teams can hide players there, they have to clear waivers and any other team can snatch them at any time.

[bdutton]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

I'm not sure why the practice squad is limited at all. I think it should be free to as many players the team is willing to pay, and shouldn't lock players out after they've received game experience. It's not like teams can hide players there, they have to clear waivers and any other team can snatch them at any time.

Is there a limit on how long a person can stay on a practice squad and does the practice squad pay count towards the cap?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

Is there a limit on how long a person can stay on a practice squad

Yes

and does the practice squad pay count towards the cap?

Yes, but they are not bound by the minimum salary constraints for guys on the active roster, so a practice squaddie is on a week-to-week deal making 4 to 5 figures typically.

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

[Ed]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

Is there a limit on how long a person can stay on a practice squad and does the practice squad pay count towards the cap?

Only the top 53 count towards the cap. PS players make a minimum of $6,000 per game or NFL week, but teams can pay them more if they want. I believe you're only eligible for 2 years, but I don't remember the details. Once you've been active on the 53-man roster for a certain amount of games, you are no longer eligible.

[Ed]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

I'm not sure why the practice squad is limited at all. I think it should be free to as many players the team is willing to pay, and shouldn't lock players out after they've received game experience. It's not like teams can hide players there, they have to clear waivers and any other team can snatch them at any time.

That would mean billionaire "job creators" would have to create more jobs.

[The Jokeman]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

I'm not sure why the practice squad is limited at all. I think it should be free to as many players the team is willing to pay, and shouldn't lock players out after they've received game experience. It's not like teams can hide players there, they have to clear waivers and any other team can snatch them at any time.

Probably because teams with big pockets could afford to pay more guys on their practice squads and would hurt teams like the Bills. It's also locks players out after so many NFL games played because it also avoids team from stockpiling talent etc. Case in point nobody has signed Jermichael Finley because of his injury but if he was practice squad eligible you bet some team would give him tons of money and keep him around to twiddle on the practice squad until he shows he's healthy again or if he shows he will never return they could just cut him. As players can chose to stay on a team's practice squad if another team tries to sign to their active roster as was the case of one of the WR we have now but the kid's name escapes me.

[better days]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

IMO, it would be better to expand the regular roster by about 6 players.

[The Jokeman]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

IMO, it would be better to expand the regular roster by about 6 players.

That is the one thing I really don't understand as to why teams can't dress a full 53 man roster on game day.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

Probably because teams with big pockets could afford to pay more guys on their practice squads and would hurt teams like the Bills.

They would still be unable to bring more than 53 guys onto the field each game, and it could also benefit the Bills as we would be able to develop players for a longer period of time or take chances on guys from the CFL.

It's also locks players out after so many NFL games played because it also avoids team from stockpiling talent etc. Case in point nobody has signed Jermichael Finley because of his injury but if he was practice squad eligible you bet some team would give him tons of money and keep him around to twiddle on the practice squad until he shows he's healthy again or if he shows he will never return they could just cut him.

Your example shows exactly why the practice squad should be expanded. As it stands now, Finley is unsigned because no team is willing to risk a valuable roster spot on him due to his injury. He's already missed TC and might miss the entire year, if that's the case then he's probably out of football entirely. Who wins in that scenario? Finley's career is over, no team gets the benefit of his play, and the league loses a talented player. In your scenario he might make a comeback, and a savvy team gets a good player for relatively cheap.

As players can chose to stay on a team's practice squad if another team tries to sign to their active roster as was the case of one of the WR we have now but the kid's name escapes me.

So what if some doofus player would rather stay on a week-to-week non-guaranteed deal rather than be signed to a real roster? How common would that be and why should it affect the rules?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

That is the one thing I really don't understand as to why teams can't dress a full 53 man roster on game day.

Well that does have some justification. Without only very limited options for temporary IR, it means that if one team has say 5 injured guys compared to 0, then the other team has a huge advantage because they can dress 5 extra players. By limiting it to 45 dressed players, that generally prevents that from happening.

[The Jokeman]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

They would still be unable to bring more than 53 guys onto the field each game, and it could also benefit the Bills as we would be able to develop players for a longer period of time or take chances on guys from the CFL.



Your example shows exactly why the practice squad should be expanded. As it stands now, Finley is unsigned because no team is willing to risk a valuable roster spot on him due to his injury. He's already missed TC and might miss the entire year, if that's the case then he's probably out of football entirely. Who wins in that scenario? Finley's career is over, no team gets the benefit of his play, and the league loses a talented player. In your scenario he might make a comeback, and a savvy team gets a good player for relatively cheap.



So what if some doofus player would rather stay on a week-to-week non-guaranteed deal rather than be signed to a real roster? How common would that be and why should it affect the rules?

In terms of Finley, I'm shocked no one signed him and put him on PUP and/or IR designated to return but with his insurance claim that he could make $10 million for missing the season I think that answers more to why he wasn't signed.

I'm sure some owner (see Jerry Jones) would abuse that practice squad if it wasn't limited. As he's got deep pockets and am sure he'd sign some kid to his practice squad to some absurd contract to keep him there since there is no max or limit as to what a team can sign a PS player too and of course said players don't count against the cap.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

Funny how that season ended for the Packers then, with a barrage of dropped passes.

[The Jokeman]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

Funny how that season ended for the Packers then, with a barrage of dropped passes.

ironies of ironies the doofus type kid you referred to chose to stay on Packers PS instead of going with the Vikings. It was Tori Gurley but this was 3 years ago:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/15/tori-gurley-chooses-packers-practice-squad-over-vikings-active-roster/

[swiper]

Re: FYI: Practice squad expanded to 10 players

IMO, it would be better to expand the regular roster by about 6 players.

Didn't they have bigger rosters in the past?