NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
The Cowboys have finalized their 53-man roster, and now they go about signing 10 players to their practice squad. See the rumors and signings for the team's 2017 practice squad.
The Dallas Cowboys have completed their mandated cutdown to 53 players yesterday, and today will go about establishing their practice squad for the 2017 season. They will be adding up to ten players that will serve as a scout team for the regular season and serve as depth in case of injury.
The Cowboys had plenty of players they waived yesterday that they should be interested in retaining on the practice squad. Players like CB Marquez White, DT Joey Ivie, DT Jordan Carrell, DT Lewis Neal, WR Lance Lenoir, WR Uzoma Nwachukwu, LB Joseph Jones, and perhaps even offensive linemen like Dan Skipper or Nate Theaker. But the Cowboys could just as likely look beyond their own players as they build their practice squad.
Jerry Jones is not averse to paying practice squad players more than the minimum salary in order to keep them in the fold, so that shouldn't be an issue. But not every player may feel his best interest going forward is in Dallas, so we'll see how things turn out.
We'll follow signing, rumors and other stories as they happen in this space. For now though, here's a refresher on the basic rules for the practice squad (for more details, check out our practice squad primer).
What is the practice squad?
Each team is allowed one group of players who do not count against the 53-man roster. The practice squad is used, typically, to develop a younger player, while also giving the team a group of players who are used to replicate the offense or defense of the upcoming opponent.
How big is the practice squad?
Each team is allowed to carry 10 players on the practice squad throughout the season.
Eligiblilty
The standard eligibility for a player to be added to the practice squad is he is a free agent and has less than two years of NFL service. A player can only be on a practice squad for three seasons total in his career (six weeks on a practice squad in a seasons counts as a season for these purposes).
The league does allow for exceptions to the less than two-year rule. Teams may keep up to four players on their practice squad who have accrued two seasons of NFL experience, which allows a fringe player the chance to stay with the team, even if he already has been in the league, while also allowing the teams to keep more veteran players.
Accrued seasons are earned by being on the active (53-man) roster for a team for six games in a single regular season.
Salary
Practice squad players receive a weekly salary, though there are no guarantees so they can be cut at any time. The practice squad minimum salary is $7,200 a week. Teams can choose to pay a practice squad player more, which teams will do when they like a player and are trying to keep him with the squad. Otherwise, he could be poached by another team.
What is poaching?
The NFL allows a practice squad player to be signed by another team, but only if they are going to put him on their 53-man roster. When this happens, the player is given a guaranteed three-week salary, even if a team decides to release him before those three weeks are up.
What if a team promotes their own practice squad player?
A team can choose to sign their own practice squad player to the 53-man roster as well. Often, a team will use the practice squad to keep depth in case of injuries, so they will call up players if an injury occurs. Teams will also call a player up to the 53-man roster if they feel another team is trying to poach a player the original teams wants to keep.
When can teams start signing practice squad players?
When it comes to the final round of roster cuts - which happened on Saturday - teams can start signing an hour after the waiver period ends. That means teams can start signing players to the practice squad as of 1pm ET Sunday.
Any notable players who started their career on the Cowboys practice squad?
Here are some recent examples:
2007: CB/S Alan Ball
2008: WR 2007 Danny Amendola
2010: OT Jermey Parnell (though he was signed from New Orleans’ practice squad)
2011: WR Andre Holmes
2012: RB Lance Dunbar, OG Ronald Leary, FB Jamize Olawale
2016: TE Rico Gathers
Continue reading...