NFL practice squad player salary, contract, maximum size limit, eligibility, criteria in 2023

NFL Practice squads play a very crucial role in any NFL team’s week-by-week preparation, check out their squad player salary, maximum limit, eligibility and criteria, and more ahead of the 2023-24 season below

In general, NFL teams use practice squad players as scout groups so that they can better prepare for upcoming opponents.

NFL practice squad player salary, contract, maximum size limit, eligibility, criteria in 2023-24

Just to go over NFL practice squad salaries again — rookies are set at $11,500/week, which works out to $207,000 over a full season. Veterans have a range, between $15,400 and $19,900 per week, which translates to between $277,200 and $358,200 for a full season.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 30, 2022

A typical practice squad can consist of young rookies or sophomores who are yet to breakthrough into the league or older veterans who are past their prime days.

NFL practice squad maximum number of players

Currently, the NFL allows a maximum of 16 practice squad players. Up until 2020, the maximum limit on practice squads was set at 10 players each before the NFL increased it.

NFL practice squad eligibility criteria

The NFL has imposed various restrictions and criteria while choosing an NFL practice squad member. Moreover, these criteria are only imposed on the 10 players out of 16, and not on the other six players. The other six players are simply categorized as “veterans”.

Given below are the various criteria set for player looking to become NFL practice squad members:

• Players who have not accrued any season of NFL experience (rookies)
• Players who played less than nine regular-season games during their accrued season(s)
• Maximum of four players per team who have accrued seasons less than two season (no game limitations)
• Maximum of six players per team with no limitations on the number of accrued seasons

Moreover, teams can protect up to four players on the practice squad each week. Once a team protects these players, other teams cannot sign these players.

NFL practice squad players regular game eligibility

In short, yes, practice squad players can indeed play in NFL games, if teams add them to the game-day roster in advance. NFL teams are allowed to elevate at least two practice squad players during the day of a game.

Teams can use them to fill out the 48-man roster on game days. However, once the game is over, these players must return back to the practice squad.  Moreover, a player cannot be elevated to the active squad more than three times per season. Teams have to sign a player to the active roster for anyone they wish to play over three games.

Practice squad players contract restrictions

While practice squad players are allowed to sign with other NFL teams, there are some conditions to it.  When a team signs a practice squad player from another team, they need to add them to their 53-man active roster.  Moreover, a player cannot sign for the practice squad of another team when they are an active member of another practice squad.

NFL practice squad salaries

NFL practice squad players are generally divided into two separate brackets before determining their salaries. The first group consists of players with two or less NFL accrued seasons, while the other consists of NFL veterans.  Players with two or less accrued NFL seasons receive a weekly fixed salary rate. The current salary rate is set at around $12,000 in 2023. Given below is the expected salary increase in each year based on the current rate:

Meanwhile, the NFL veterans do not have a fixed salary rate. They are instead allowed to negotiate their own salary rates with the teams. They however, have a fixed minimum and maximum salary rate. Given below are the current minimum and maximum rates with the projected rates as well:

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