Cut day is one of the worst days on the calendar for NFL players. The league's rosters are reduced from 90 men to 53, meaning a whopping 1,184 players are looking for work.
Luckily, the NFL has a method for teams to keep talented players in the fold. Each team has a practice squad that allows it to keep up to 17 players in the organization.
The practice squad has always been important, but its significance has been magnified since the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFL has loosened its rules regarding who is eligible for the practice squad rosters and increased the size of the unit from 10 to 17.
Practice squads give veteran players and young roster hopefuls a chance to keep their NFL dreams alive while developing in a professional camp. It also ensures that each team has quality depth for when injuries inevitably impact players on their 53-man roster.
Here's how the practice squads for all 32 teams stack up as they form ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
MORE: Tracking NFL's final roster cuts for all 32 teams in 2024
NFL practice squad signings: 2024 rosters for all 32 NFL teams
NFL teams began forming their practice squads on Wednesday, Aug. 28 — about 24 hours after the league's 53-man roster deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 28. The league allows teams to sign up to 17 players to the practice squad in 2024, provided that at least one player is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
Below are the initial practice squad rosters (as announced by teams and various reports) for each NFL team.
49ers practice squad
- DE Jonathan Garvin
- DB Chase Lucas
- S Tracy Walker
- OL Isaac Alarcon
- DL Evan Anderson
- DL Alex Barrett
- OL Sebastian Gutierrez
- CB Chase Lucas
- S Jaylen Mahomey
- WR Tay Martin
- DL T.Y. McGill Jr.
- QB Tanner Mordecai
- OL Drake Nugent
- TE Mason Pline
- WR Trent Taylor
- S Tracy Walker III
- TE Brayden Willis
Bears practice squad
- LB Micah Baskerville
- OL Theo Benedet
- TE Stephen Carlson
- DL Byron Cowart
- OL Jake Curhan
- LS Scott Daly
- WR Collin Johnson
- DB Quindell Johnson
- LB Carl Jones
- DL Jamree Kromah
- DL Dashaun Mallory
- DB Tarvarius Moore
- QB Austin Reed
- DL Sam Roberts
- DB Reddy Steward
- DB Ro Torrence
- WR Samori Toure
Bengals practice squad
- CB Nate Brooks
- WR Cole Burgess
- OT Devin Cochran
- DT Domenique Davis
- CB Jalen Davis
- TE Cam Grandy
- LB Shaka Heyward
- C Trey Hill
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- S PJ Jules
- WR Kendric Pryor
- QB Logan Woodside
Bills practice squad
- DT Eli Ankou
- WR Deon Cain
- OL Will Clapp
- DE Kameron Cline
- DB Te'Cory Couch
- TE Zach Davidson
- DT Branson Deen
- OL Mike Edwards
- RB Frank Gore Jr.
- OL Richard Gouraige
- WR KJ Hamler
- CB Daequan Hardy
- S Kareem Jackson
- DE Kingsley Jonathan
- WR Tyrell Shavers
- WR Jalen Virgil
- QB Mike White
Broncos practice squad
- RB Tyler Badie
- WR Michael Bandy
- FB Mike Burton
- G Nick Gargiulo
- DE Matt Henningsen
- WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey
- DB Tanner McCalister
- DT Jordan Miller
- CB Quinton Newsome
- G Will Sherman
- WR David Sills
- CB Reese Taylor
- G Calvin Throckmorton
- OLB Dondrea Tillman
- TE Thomas Yassmin
Browns practice squad
- DT Jowon Briggs
- CB Tony Brown II
- WR Jaelon Darden
- S Christopher Edmonds
- CB Mike Ford
- CB Justin Hardee Jr.
- OT Germain Ifedi
- DL Sam Kamara
- OT Roy Mbaeteka
- WR James Proche II
- LB Winston Reid
- LS Rex Sunahara
- OT Lorenzo Thompson
- WR Michael Woods II
Buccaneers practice squad
- TE Tanner Taula
- QB Michael Pratt
- RB D.J. Williams
- OL Luke Haggard
- D: Mike Greene
- DL C.J. Brewer
- OLB Daniel Grzesiak
- LB Antonio Grier
- LB Vi Jonrs
- S Marcus Banks
- P Seth Vernon
Cardinals practice squad
- OL Marquis Hayes
- QB Desmond Ridder
- WR Andre Baccellia
- LB Markus Bailey
- LB Krys Barnes
- OL Jackson Barton
- RB Michael Carter
- WR Dan Chisena
- CB Jaden Davis
- OL Keith Ismael
- WR Tejhaun Palmer
- DL Ben Stille
- CB Divaad Wilson
Chargers practice squad
- LB Shaq Quarterman
- OG Karsen Barnhart
- TE Luke Benson
- OLB Andrew Farmer II
- TE Tucker Fisk
- CB Matt Hankins
- DL Christopher Hinton
- LB Jeremisah Jean-Baptiste
- WR Cornelius Johnson
- WR Jaylen Johnson
- CB Robert Kennedy
- OT Alex Leatherwood
- OLB Tre'Mon Morris Brash
- DL CJ Okoye
- RB Isaiah Spiller
Chiefs practice squad
- S Deon Bush
- WR Justyn Ross
- QB Bailey Zappe
- RB Emani Bailey
- LB Cole Christiansen
- TE Baylor Cupp
- DT Matt Dickerson
- DT Neil Farrell
- RB Keaontay Ingram
- DE Truman Jones
- DT Fabien Lovett
- T Lucas Niang
- WR Nikko Remigio
- CB Keith Taylor
- WR Montrell Washington
- T Chukwuebuka Goodrich
Colts practice squad
- LB Austin Ajiake
- LB Liam Anderson
- DE Genard Avery
- QB Jason Bean
- S Marcel Dabo
- RB Evan Hull
- CB Chris Lammons
- WR D.J. Montgomery
- CB Jaylin Simpson
- CB Ameer Speed
- WR Laquon Treadwell
Commanders practice squad
- RB Kazmeir Allen
- CB Chigozie Anusiem
- G Julian Good-Jones
- QB Sam Hartman
- DE Andre Jones Jr.
- DT Haggai Ndubuisi
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- WR Mitchell Tinsley
- WR Brycen Tremayne
- TE Cole Turner
- DE Carlos Watkins
- RB Michael Wiley
Cowboys practice squad
- RB Dalvin Cook
- WR Jalen Cropper
- TE Princeton Fant
- T Josh Ball
- CB Josh Butler
- WR Jalen Cropper
- RB Malik Davis
- DT Denzel Daxon
- CB Kemon Hall
- WR Kelvin Harmon
- LB Darius HArris
- S Emany Johnson
- DE Carl Lawson
- LB Brock Mogensen
- G Dakota Shepley
- LB Nick Vigil
Dolphins practice squad
- WR Dee Eskridge
- DT Naquan Jones
- S Jordan Colbert
- WR Erik Ezukanma
- DT Jonathan Harris
- OL Chasen Hines
- LB Dequan Jackson
- CB Isaiah Johnson
- T Bayron Matos
- RB Anthony McFarland
- CB Nik Needham
- TE Hayden Rucci
Eagles practice squad
- LB Oren Burks
- WR Parris Campbell
- RB Tyrion Davis-Price
- OL Nick Gates
- QB Will Grier
- DT Gabe Hall
- TE E.J. Jenkins
- C Dylan McMahon
- WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
- S Andre Sam
- LB Brandon Smith
- S Caden Stearns
- TE Jack Stoll
- OL Laekin Vakalahi
Falcons practice squad
- WR Chris Blair
- CB Natrone Brooks
- WR Dylan Drumond
- DL Demone Harris
- DT Zion Logue
- DL LaCale London
- WR Jesse Matthews
- OL Andrew Stueber
- RB Carlos Washington Jr.
- S Dane Cruikshank
- OL Julien Davenport
- CB Kevin King
- TE John FitzPatrick
Giants practice squad
- FB Jakob Johnson
- K Jude McAtamney
- LB Ty Summers
- WR Isaiah Hodins
- WR Miles Boykin
- TE Lawrence Cager
- FB/TE Jakob Johnson
- T Joshua Miles
- T Marcellus Johnson
- LB Tomon Fox
- LB KJ Cloyd
- RB Dante Miller
- DL Casey Rogers
- DB Raheem Layne
- DB Alex Johnson
- C Jimmy Morrisey
Jaguars practice squad
- TE Shawn Bowman
- CB Christian Braswell
- WR Joshua Cephus
- DE D.J. Coleman
- WR Elijah Cooks
- TE Josiah Deguara
- S Terrell Edmunds
- CB Tre Flowers
- DE Joe Gaziano
- RB Jalen Jackson
- OL Steven Jones
- LB Tanner Muse
- QB E.J. Perry
- WR Austin Trammell
Jets practice squad
- S Lewis Cine
- OL Jake Hanson
- OL Kohl Levao
- WR Brandon Smith
- LB Sam Eguavoen
- OL Obinna Eze
- TE Anthony Firkser
- OL Jake Hanson
- DL Bruce Hector
- DL Jalyn Holmes
- S Jaylen Key
- TE Zack Kuntz
- OL Kohl Levao
- QB Adrian Martinez
- LB Marcelino McCrary-Bal
- WR Lance McCutcheon
- S Jarius Monroe
- CB Kendall Sheffield
- WR Brandon Smith
- CB Tre Swilling
- RB Xazavian Valladay
Lions practice squad
- LB Mitchell Agude
- C Kingsley Eguakun
- QB Jake Fromm
- RB Jermar Jefferson
- T Jamarco Jones
- WR Tom Kennedy
- TE James Mitchell
- S C.J. Moore
- DL Pat O'Connor
- WR Tim Patrick
- DL Kyle Peko
- WR Allen Robinson
- DL Chris Smith
- DL Isaac Ukwu
- TE Shane Zylstra
Packers practice squad
- DL Deslin Alexandre
- QB Sean Clifford
- DL James Ester
- K Alex Hale
- WR Julian Hicks
- G/T Donovan Jennings
- CB Kalen King
- RB Nate McCrary
- RB Ellis Merriweather
- CB Robert Rochell
- G/C Lecitus Smith
- TE Messiah Swinson
Panthers practice squad
- RB Mike Boone
- G Mason Brooks
- S Alex Cook
- OLB Kenny Dyson
- CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
- TE Jordan Matthews
- DL Walter Palmore
- QB Jack Plummer
- DL T.J. Smith
- LB Chandler Wooten
Patriots practice squad
- RB Terrell Jennings
- DB A.J. Thomas
- OL Liam Fornadel
- TE Mitchell Wilcox
- DE Jotham Russell
- WR Matt Landers
- RB Kevin Harris
Raiders practice squad
- DE David Agoha
- WR Alex Bachman
- QB Carter Bradley
- G Ben Brown
- DT Matthew Butler
- WR Jalen Guyton
- RB Sincere McCormick
- C Will Putnam
- S Phalen Sanford
- TE John Samuel Shenker
- DE Charles Snowden
- T Dalton Wagner
- CB Sam Webb
- WR Kristian Wilkerson
Rams practice squad
- T AJ Arcuri
- G Justin Dedich
- TE Miller Forristall
- DB Shaun Jolly
- TE Nikola Kalinic
- DB Cam Lampkin
- DT Tuli Letuligasenoa
- C Mike McAllister
- WR Xavier Smith
- WR Drake Stoops
- DB Jason Taylor
- LB Keir Thomas
- WR Sam Wiglusz
Ravens practice squad
- WR Dayton Wade
- OT Corey Bullock
- RB Chris Collier
- CB Bump Cooper Jr.
- WR Malik Cunningham
- G Darrian Dalcourt
- OLB Joe Evans
- CB Ka'Dar Hollman
- TE Qadir Ismail
- RB John Kelly
- WR Keith Kirkwood
- QB Devin Leary
- WR Anthony Miller
- DE CJ Ravenell
- ILB Josh Ross
Saints practice squad
- S Johnathan Abram
- DB Ugo Amadi
- WR Kevin Austin
- S Millard Bradford
- OT Josiah Ezirim
- TE Mason Fairchild
- G Kyle Hergel
- LB Khaleke Hudson
- TE Michael Jacobson
- RB Jacob Kibodi
- DE Niko Lalos
- G Shane Lemieux
- K Charlie Smyth
- LB Isaiah Stalbird
- WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- DT Kendal Vickers
Seahawks practice squad
- LB Michael Barrett
- DT Kyon Barrs
- S Marquise Blair
- CB Artie Burns
- T McClendon Curtis
- T Garret Greenfield
- RB George Holani
- DE DeVere Levelston
- TE Tyler Mabry
- LB Patrick O'Connell
- S Ty Okada
- G Raiqwon O'Neal
- T Max Pircher
- WR Cody White
- WR Easop Winston Jr.
Steelers practice squad
- WR Brandon Johnson
- RB Boston Scott
- CB Anthony Averett
- G/T Doug Nester
- RB Jonathan Ward
Texans practice squad
- DE Solomon Byrd
- T Cameron Erving
- DE Malik fisher
- FB Troy Hairston
- DT Marcus Harris
- WR Johnny Johnson III
- CB D'Angelo Ross
- T David Sharpe
- RB JJ Taylor
- LB Max Tooley
- LB Ezekiel Turner
- T Kilian Zierer
Titans practice squad
- DT Abdullah Anderson
- CB Tre Avery
- OLB Khalid Duke
- DL Isaiah Iton
- CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally
- CB Anthony Kendall
- WR Mason Kinsey
- C Corey Levin
- WR Bryce Oliver
- RB Jabari Small
- G Cole Spencer
- T Leroy Watson
Vikings practice squad
- OL Henry Byrd
- OLB Andre Carter II
- LB Dallas Gant
- RB Myles Gaskin
- TE N'Keal Harry
- WR Lucky Jackson
- WR Jeshaun Jones
- RB DeWayne McBride
- DB Bobby McCain
- TE Sammis Reyes
- DE Bo Richter
- G Tyrese Robinson
- TE Robert Tonyan
- WR Thayer Thomas
- CB Jaylin Williams
- DL Jonah Williams
- CB Nahshon Wright
MORE: Ranking the top 32 NFL quarterbacks for 2024, from Patrick Mahomes to Gardner Minshew
How much are NFL practice squad players paid?
The NFL has two separate brackets that it uses to determine the salaries of practice squad players.
Players with two or fewer seasons in the NFL are paid weekly at a fixed rate. That salary is set at $12,500 for the 2024 NFL season but will increase for the duration of the league's current CBA, which runs through the 2030 season.
| Year | Weekly salary |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,500 |
| 2025 | $13,000 |
| 2026 | $13,750 |
| 2027 | $14,500 |
| 2028 | $15,250 |
| 2029 | $16,000 |
| 2030 | $16,750 |
The other bracket is for NFL veterans with three or more accrued seasons. Unlike the younger practice squad signees, they do not have a set salary. They are able to negotiate their payments within a predetermined range.
The minimum weekly salary for a vet on the practice squad in 2024 is $16,800, while the maximum is $21,300.
| Year | Minimum salary | Maximum salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,800 | $21,300 |
| 2025 | $17,500 | $22,000 |
| 2026 | $18,350 | $22,850 |
| 2027 | $19,200 | $23,700 |
| 2028 | $20,900 | $25,400 |
| 2029 | $20,900 | $25,400 |
| 2030 | $21,750 | $26,250 |
How many players are on an NFL practice squad?
Beginning in 2024, NFL teams are allowed to carry 17 players on their practice squads — provided that one of the players is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
This marks the second expansion of practice squad limits since 2020. The size limit used to be 10 but was expanded to 16 in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, the NFL provided teams an exemption to acquire a 17th practice squad player if an international player didn't make a team's 53-man roster, cleared waivers and was a part of the IPP. Those players weren't eligible to be signed or elevated to the active roster if they did not make it out of training camp.
Now, the 17th player is eligible to be elevated to the team's active roster a maximum of three times during the current NFL season before needing to sign to the 53-man roster to continue playing.
Who is eligible for an NFL practice squad?
Any player is eligible to sign to an NFL practice squad, but the NFL has certain restrictions in place to ensure the practice squad remains a place to develop young talent.
Of the 17 practice squad players, 10 must have two or fewer accrued NFL seasons. The other six do not have any limitations and are characterized as "veterans." And one player must be a part of the NFL's International Pathway Program if a team wants to carry 17 players.
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;
- At least one player who is a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).
Teams are allowed to protect up to four players on the practice squad each week. Other teams cannot sign these protected players.
Can NFL practice squad players play in games?
Yes, practice squad players can play in games. They must be added to a team's game-day roster for that to happen.
NFL clubs can elevate up to two practice squad players on game day to expand their roster to 55 players. Seven players must be designated as inactive, which leaves 48 players to participate in the contest.
After the game ends, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad. Players can only be elevated three times in one season. After that, the team must sign them to the active roster if they wish to have them play in more games.
Can practice squad players sign with other teams?
Yes, practice squad players can sign with other teams. The only stipulation is that they must sign onto another team's 53-man roster to make the move. They cannot jump from one practice squad to another unless they are waived or released.