2016 NFL Practice Squad Rules: Size, Eligibility, Salary and More

As the roster finally starts to take shape, now is probably a good time to refresh our memories on the rules of the practice squad. With the NFL only allowing 53 men on the active roster, not all of the young talent can stick right off the bat. How do you stash these players for future use? Practice squads.

Here are some rules regarding practice squads that you need to know.

• The NFL allows each team to fill out a ten man practice squad roster. This was increased from eight after the 2013 season.
• You can stash up to four players with two seasons worth of experience on your roster. A season is considered to be six games on full pay status. These six games can happen on the active/inactive, reserve/injured/PUP list.
• A player must have a minimum of six games on a practice squad for that to count as a full practice squad season. Players have three seasons they can accrue before they lose eligibility.
• Practice squad players are not eligible to play in regular season games unless added to the 53 man roster.
• They are paid weekly and can be released at any time.
• These players can sign with any team, except for the team's opponent that week. This prevents week to week information sharing between teams.
• In order to sign with a practice squad, the player must first be released. Then he must clear waivers in which each team will have a shot to claim him first.
• Practice squad members bring home $6,900 per week. These payments continue through the playoffs and will continue for as long as the team remains alive in the post-season. You can pay you practice squad players more in order to keep them around, however.