NFL and NFLPA Officially Agree to Expand Practice Squad Rosters

The league and the union have agreed with a proposal that was brought up in March to expand the size of the practice squads every NFL team uses from 8 to 10 players for this season and the following season.  If the plan is successful the two groups with have to either renew the agreement for another set period of time or put it into effect permanently.

Practice squad players salaries count against the salary cap, but the increase in size would have a minimal effect.  Practice squad players will make a minimum of $6,300 per week, but teams can pay higher salaries to players who are likely to be poached.  For two additional players, that equals a $214,200 reduction in cap space.  This is peanuts compared to the minimum salaries of every other player and give you two additional players to develop.

Additional details on the two new spots:

Criteria for practice squad eligibility has been expanded in two categories. A player must have a minimum of six games on a practice squad — increased from the previous three games — for that year to count as one of three permissible seasons on the squad. And each team now can sign a maximum of two practice squad players who have earned no more than two NFL seasons toward free agency. Aside from that exception, a player with one or more accrued seasons can't go on a practice squad unless he spent fewer than nine games on a club's 46-player active list in each of his pro seasons.

#NFL, #NFLPA Agree to Expand Practice Squads: https://t.co/UtwF9UD7IZ

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) August 20, 2014