Can a team select a player we just released (e.g tanney) and place him on their practice squad?
The practice squad does not exist until after the cut to 53. At this point, teams can claim a player on waivers which would put the player on the 75 man roster. After the waiver period (24 hours), if the player is not claimed, then he is a Free Agent. Once teams make the cut to 53, any Free Agents are free to be signed to any teams Practice Squad. Once a player is on the practice squad, another team can sign him to their 53 man roster, but cannot sign him to their practice squad. If the player stays on the new teams 53 man roster for 3 weeks, they can then cut him and sign him to their practice squad; although, the player has the choice to sign with another teams practice squad because he is a Free Agent when released from the 53 man roster.
From the end of the season until the trading deadline the following season, vested veterans are not required to pass through waivers. A vested veteran has 4 years of accrued NFL service. From the trading dead-line to the end of the season, vested veterans are required to pass through waivers. The waiver claim priority is the same as the draft order from the previous draft.