NFL practice squad salaries: Minimum salary, rules & more to know for 2022

We talkin’ ’bout practice … squads.

NFL practice squads serve more than one purpose. Oftentimes, it is simply to, well, practice, but players stashed on practice squads can play a big part for franchises throughout the course of a grueling NFL season.

With changes to practice squads in recent years, the rules have become a little bit more team-friendly in allowing NFL franchises a bit more flexibility in who they can move up to their gameday roster, when, and how often.

Practice squad players generally operate as part of the scout team during practice days. NFL teams have found creative ways to use the practice squad, usually stashing players who they think may have long-term value, or veterans who fit as insurance for game-day rosters in case of injury.

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With roster cutdown day nearing and practice squads across the league forming soon after that, here’s what you need to know about the somewhat overlooked piece of an NFL roster:

How many players can be on an NFL practice squad?

After changing the rules a few years back, NFL practice squad rosters remain at 16 players. 

There are certain limitations to who can actually be signed to the practice squad — more on that below — but the number is up from the previous limit of 10 since changes were made for the 2020 season.

Oftentimes, players on the practice squad are late-round, developmental rookies, undrafted free agents or veterans who have familiarity with the offense, who operate with the scout-team offenses during practice periods.

Who is eligible for an NFL practice squad?

The NFL keeps certain guidelines in check for who can — and cannot — be on an NFL practice squad.

Of the 16 players allowed on a practice squad, 10 may not have accrued more than two NFL seasons, while the remaining six players have no limitations (veterans). 

Players who are on the practice squad can be placed on the active/game day roster no more than three times during the regular season. In the event that a player is made active on game day a fourth time, then they must be signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.

The qualifications for the practice squad are as follows:

• Players who do not have an accrued season of NFL experience (rookies);
• Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s);
• Up to four players per team who have earned no more than two accrued seasons (no game limitations);
• Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of earned accrued seasons.

Players who are on a team’s practice squad may not sign a contract with another team’s practice squad. Instead, the signing team must sign the player to a 53-man roster spot. Those players can sign with another team at any point during the season.

Up to four players can be protected on the league’s practice squad each week; Other teams may not sign protected practice squad players.

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Can practice squad players play in games?

Yes, they can, if they are elevated for game day. However, following the game, the player reverts back to the practice squad. Usually, these players are a body that fills out the game day roster (48 players are active on gameday).

Only two practice squad players may be eligible to play on game day, and players may not be elevated more than three times in a given season. After that, they must be signed to the active roster.

Can practice squad players sign with other teams?

Practice squad players can sign with other teams — but they only to become a member of another organization’s 53-man roster.

A practice squad player may not sign to be a part of another team’s practice squad while an active member of a practice squad.

How much are NFL practice squad players paid?

There are two salary scales that the NFL uses to determine practice squad salaries. 

Players who have accrued two or fewer seasons in the NFL use the following salary scale, paid on a fixed, weekly salary, increasing on a yearly basis through the expiration of the current CBA.

NFL veterans have a little bit more negotiating power when it comes to salary on the practice squad, negotiating within a salary window as follows: