Roster Size Changes with New CBA

[xwalker]

Some reports are that there is just a simple increase in the roster size from 53 to 55; however, it appears to be more complicated and not quite a true 55 man roster.

If the details below are accurate, then it's not clear if team's can protect 55 players on the final cut date before the season starts.

It does appear that once the two practice squad players are promoted to the "55 man" roster that they are protected.

This was the proposal and appears to be what was approved:

Gameday rosters increase from 46 to 48 players

Naturally, with more games come more injuries. And the only way for teams to prepare for those injuries
One extra offensive lineman

So, here's the catch. One of those two extra gameday spots has to be an offensive lineman. Teams can now carry three backups on Sundays (or Monday night...or Thursday night) instead of the traditional two.

12-man practice squad in 2020; 14 in 2022

One of the biggest benefits for roster building is the expansion of the practice squad from 10 players to 12 in 2020. It grows to 14 players in 2022. And practice squads will be more appealing to players than any competitor leagues, too, with salaries for those players rising from $8,000 per week to $11,500. This is especially good news for teams like the Bears who have a well-established roster of starters and veteran backups but may want to have developmental options in the pipeline. The larger practice squad gives them the chance to do that (especially at quarterback).

Two practice squad promotions each week for an expanded 55-man roster

Speaking of those practice squads, NFL teams will be given the option to promote two practice squad players to their new 55-man active roster every week. Remember: the current structure allows for 53 players on the active roster which gets cut to 46 on game day. With the two practice squad promotions, the active roster grows to 55.

The best news? NFL teams can send those players back to the practice squad without having to clear waivers (and risk losing them to another team). Each player can be called up and sent back to the practice squad twice without the risk of waivers.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/heres-how-new-cba-impacts-bears-roster

 

[CCBoy]

Thanks, X...

 

[AbeBeta]

I wonder given the likely shortened off season if the league and NFLPA might move to the 14 man PS a year earlier.

 

[Hennessy_King]

This was the nfl squashing another xfl comeup

 

[TheHerd]

The 46 to 48 game day increase is more important, imo

 

[JBS]

Good thing the eagles used a 2nd pick on a guy who can be the 47th and 48th guy on the active roster

 

[jazzcat22]

Good thing the eagles used a 2nd pick on a guy who can be the 47th and 48th guy on the active roster

And that will be very important to them when Jalen Hurts needs to come in for Often Hurts.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Some reports are that there is just a simple increase in the roster size from 53 to 55; however, it appears to be more complicated and not quite a true 55 man roster.

If the details below are accurate, then it's not clear if team's can protect 55 players on the final cut date before the season starts.

It does appear that once the two practice squad players are promoted to the "55 man" roster that they are protected.

Speaking of those practice squads, NFL teams will be given the option to promote two practice squad players to their new 55-man active roster every week. Remember: the current structure allows for 53 players on the active roster which gets cut to 46 on game day. With the two practice squad promotions, the active roster grows to 55.

I'd read it as you get 53 on final cuts, then 55 after you promote two PS players to the active roster.

Huh. After you promote two PS players to the active roster, do you get to backfill the PS?

Or is it 2 more players to the active + PS, with 53+12 at final cuts, and 55 +10 for the rest of the season?

 

[tayloner]

Hey guys - hoping someone may be able to answer this. Since the draft, I've seen a lot of 55-man roster projections floating around. However, my understanding of the new roster limit rule was that you still have to initially cut down to 53 players at the final roster deadline in early September, however, you can then bring up two additional players from the now 12-man practice squad each week. This effectively takes your roster from 53 to 55 (and gameday actives from 46 to 48, with at least 8 OL). However, 55-man roster projections imply that you only have to cut to 55 instead of 53 in September. Does anyone know the correct way to interpret this rule?

 

[ksg811]

Your interpretation is correct. It is still a 53 player roster with a 46 player active gameday roster, with 2 practice squad players eligible to be called up per week and sent back down without being subject to waivers. However, a player can only be called up and sent down twice before being subject to waivers.

 

[xwalker]

I'd read it as you get 53 on final cuts, then 55 after you promote two PS players to the active roster.

Huh. After you promote two PS players to the active roster, do you get to backfill the PS?

Or is it 2 more players to the active + PS, with 53+12 at final cuts, and 55 +10 for the rest of the season?

They always have to make it complicated. They could have just bumped 53 to 55 but they prefer complicated rules just like the overly complicated on-field rules...

 

[1LoyalCowboyFan]

Your interpretation is correct. It is still a 53 player roster with a 46 player active gameday roster, with 2 practice squad players eligible to be called up per week and sent back down without being subject to waivers. However, a player can only be called up and sent down twice before being subject to waivers.

good clarification. I thought it was 48 each game welp..

 

[DanA]

The way I read it.

During the week you get 55 players. That gets cut down to 53 with a 48 man game day roster. The 2 practice squad players are protect from when they are elevated until team selection goes in. Protection is lost from team selection cut off until the beginning of the next week.

 

[Pantone282C]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...prove-cba-impact-on-league-in-2020-and-beyond

Teams are also getting bigger. The active roster on game day will go from 46 to 48 players, and one of the extra players has to be an offensive lineman. Practice squads will also expand, to 12 players in 2020 and 2021, and to 14 starting in 2022. Two practice-squad players each week can be elevated to the team's active roster, meaning that the roster during the week will effectively be 55. That, the league hopes, will help spread out the wear and tear players incur from the 17th game.

 

[DanA]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...prove-cba-impact-on-league-in-2020-and-beyond

Teams are also getting bigger. The active roster on game day will go from 46 to 48 players, and one of the extra players has to be an offensive lineman. Practice squads will also expand, to 12 players in 2020 and 2021, and to 14 starting in 2022. Two practice-squad players each week can be elevated to the team's active roster, meaning that the roster during the week will effectively be 55. That, the league hopes, will help spread out the wear and tear players incur from the 17th game.

How do you mandate an extra O-line player? Most teams select 7 normally, are they saying a minimum of 8 on the 48 man roster? How do you define an O-line player? Can the LS be considered an O-Line player?

 

[Pantone282C]

How do you mandate an extra O-line player? Most teams select 7 normally, are they saying a minimum of 8 on the 48 man roster?

Like X said, it's complicated - full of legalese.

 

[black label]

lol yeah i understand

 

[Bluefin]

I'd read it as you get 53 on final cuts, then 55 after you promote two PS players to the active roster.

Correct.

But teams will only promote the 2 practice squad players the day of the game to bring the roster to 55 players. The 2 practice squaders will then automatically revert back to the JV squad unless one or both have been called up for a third time, which would mean having to clear waivers following the game.

Huh. After you promote two PS players to the active roster, do you get to backfill the PS?

No.

The 2 players that get called up will automatically go back on the practice squad after the game.

Or is it 2 more players to the active + PS, with 53+12 at final cuts, and 55 +10 for the rest of the season?

It's 53 + 12 all season.

2 players can be called up for each game so that the roster size temporarily increases to 55 with 48 players on the game day roster.

They always have to make it complicated. They could have just bumped 53 to 55 but they prefer complicated rules just like the overly complicated on-field rules...

I suppose this bizarre design in intended to better expose practice squaders and increase the chances teams will want to sign them to their regular roster?

You'd think teams would prefer just having 55 spots. They want certain numbers at each position and only being able to call players up twice before having to expose them to waivers complicates things. Or maybe not, all practice squad players are unrestricted free agents and free to sign with another team's active roster should the opportunity arise.

Still, it just seems silly, the same as not having a sky judge to watch for obvious blown calls who can stop the game to correct mistakes.

 

[xwalker]

Correct.

But teams will only promote the 2 practice squad players the day of the game to bring the roster to 55 players. The 2 practice squaders will then automatically revert back to the JV squad unless one or both have been called up for a third time, which would mean having to clear waivers following the game.


No.

The 2 players that get called up will automatically go back on the practice squad after the game.



It's 53 + 12 all season.

2 players can be called up for each game so that the roster size temporarily increases to 55 with 48 players on the game day roster.


I suppose this bizarre design in intended to better expose practice squaders and increase the chances teams will want to sign them to their regular roster?

You'd think teams would prefer just having 55 spots. They want certain numbers at each position and only being able to call players up twice before having to expose them to waivers complicates things. Or maybe not, all practice squad players are unrestricted free agents and free to sign with another team's active roster should the opportunity arise.

Still, it just seems silly, the same as not having a sky judge to watch for obvious blown calls who can stop the game to correct mistakes.

The part about not going through waivers does not really make sense to me.

If a player is claimed on waivers, that means the player is signed to a team's roster, not to a practice squad.
- Once they clear waivers any team can sign them to their practice squad. It's the player's choice if he has more than one offer.

I guess that it means the player can be moved back to the PS and another team can only sign them to their 53 as opposed to the player getting another chance to sign with a different practice squad.
- It seems like a very low number of players already on a team's practice squad would want to sign with another team's practice squad.