Do you Know Your Football? - The Practice Squad

Its that time of year...PreSeason, inflated rosters, players that will be bagging groceries (ok maybe not), parking cars (ok doubtful too) , anything BUT wearing Pewter, Red, Green or any other color on Sundays except rooting for their favorite team.

It wasnt that long ago that the first preseason cuts had to be down to 53, and rosters were at 40! They get bigger and bigger, and not only that but there is the practice squad now too....a way for NFL Union officials to collect more dues each year!! 

But do you know the rules  about the Practice squad and how it works?   Lets dive into it shall we?

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Every NFL team can keep 8 players on its practice squad in addition to its 53 man roster. Practice squad players are usually rookies or young veterans, because you can only be on a practice squad for up to two years, or when you officially do your first year of NFL experience, which is 6 or more games on any NFL teams active 53 man roster, ( or no more than 9 total games all together) or get put on official Injured Reserve.

If your on the practice squad, you can practice with your team mates, but you cannot play with them and still be on the practice squad. 

You also make a lot less money as the minimum salary is different, however there is nothing saying you cant make good money. A trip to the internet found New England Patriot's Billy Yates making 425,000 on it!

Your not exclusive to your team though!! Your a free agent, and can sign with any other team, even though its rare when one team takes a player off of another teams practice squad...yet id does happen often enough to mention it.

So before you say "Put him on the practice squad" about someone, just remember, you could end up facing that player week 1!  or whenever!