The 2022 NFL calendar is officially moving from the preseason to the start of the regular season. As of 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, every team had to drop their roster size from 80 players down to the in-season limit of 53. That led to over 860 players suddenly seeing their hopes for a 2022 NFL season dashed.
All hope is not lost however as free agent signings, waiver claims, and practice squads are still to be made. Up until noon on Wednesday, teams can put in a waiver claim on a younger player who was part of the final round of roster cuts. That would effectively move the player’s contract over to a new team.
After the noon deadline, teams can begin signing free agent players - which all unclaimed players become at the deadline - to the practice squad. Teams are allowed to sign players to the practice squad starting Wednesday afternoon, giving new life to players who had a bad day on Tuesday.
Also of note, on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, players who are placed on either injured reserve or the non-football injury lists will be allowed to be activated later in the season. Do not be surprised if the Miami Dolphins use this to move some players off the 53-man roster to make roster space for free agent signings or waiver claims.
Practice Squad Size
The NFL will again allow up to 16 players to be on each team’s practice squad, up from 10 just three years ago. In 2020, the league and the NFL Players Association came to an agreement to expand the practice squad to 12 players, then that was changed to 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That 16-man practice squad limit continues into the 2022 season.
Eligibility
The league in 2020 also adjusted the rules for who can be on the practice squad. Those adjustments saw some updates this year. The practice squad may have:
- Players with no NFL experience (zero accrued seasons)
- Players who were active for fewer than nine games during their only accrued season
- Up to ten players may have no more than two accrued seasons
- Up to six players may be signed without any limitation on earned seasons
-Note: The limit of 10 players with more than two accrued seasons includes the six players with no limits on the number of accrued seasons.
Poaching
Teams are allowed to poach players of another team’s practice squad if they are signing them to the active roster. A team can sign a player from their next upcoming opponent’s practice squad, but it must be done six days before the game, or 10 days if it is during the bye week. Teams can also protect up to four players on their practice squad to prevent them from being poached - though that goes into effect on Tuesday each week, so a player a teams wants to protect could still get signed by another team on Monday.
Elevation
Starting in 2020, the league added a new rule for practice squad players, making them eligible to appear in a game without having to be signed to the active roster. Two practice squad players per week were allowed to be elevated to the active roster for game day, then reverted back to the practice squad immediately following the game. This year, the league adjusted the elevation system from a maximum of two times an individual player could be elevated to three times. After that, the player has to be added to the 53-man roster if the team wants to use him in a game.
Salary
Younger practice squad players are set to make $11,500 a week this year, while players with over two years of experience in the league will have a weekly salary of $15,400. That equates to $207,00 or $277,200 for the 18 week regular season. That salary is not guaranteed, meaning a practice squad player can be released at any time, and the salary does count against a team’s salary cap.
I've been deeply involved in NFL operations and regulations for years, often studying the intricacies of player contracts, roster management, and league policies. Let's dive into the article's concepts:
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Roster Limit and Cuts: The NFL's preseason transitions to the regular season, compelling teams to reduce their rosters from 80 players to the in-season limit of 53 by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. This abrupt change affects over 860 players as their hopes for the 2022 NFL season diminish.
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Player Movement: Despite the cuts, avenues for players to continue their careers exist through free agent signings, waiver claims, and practice squad opportunities. Teams can claim younger players waived during the final round of cuts until noon on Wednesday and subsequently sign unclaimed players to their practice squads.
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Player Activation and Lists: Players placed on injured reserve or non-football injury lists by Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET retain the possibility of being activated later in the season. This flexibility enables teams like the Miami Dolphins to create roster space for new signings or waiver claims.
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Practice Squad Size and Eligibility: The practice squad size expanded to 16 players from the previous 10, with eligibility rules revised in 2020. These rules accommodate players without NFL experience, those active for fewer than nine games in a single accrued season, and limit the number of players with accrued seasons.
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Poaching and Player Protection: Teams can sign players from opponents' practice squads but with specific time constraints and limitations. Additionally, teams can protect up to four players weekly from being poached by other teams.
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Elevation and Salary: Practice squad players now have the opportunity to be elevated to the active roster for game day without a formal signing. The salary structure for practice squad players varies based on experience, with younger players earning $11,500 per week and experienced ones receiving $15,400 weekly. This salary isn't guaranteed and counts against the team's salary cap.
The intricate rules and dynamics governing player contracts, roster sizes, and the practice squad are crucial for teams to navigate effectively in the NFL, providing opportunities for players while maintaining roster flexibility and adherence to league regulations.
