NFL, NFLPA agree to expand practice squad rules

The NFL and the NFLPA have reached an agreement to continue the expanded practice squad rule that passed in 2014.

For the past two seasons, each team’s practice squad has been expanded to ten players from the eight player practice squads the league previously had. It was a little-known fact this offseason that the deal had expired, but the two sides have reached an agreement to continue moving forward.

In addition to the ten-man practice squad, the league also expanded the number of ‘veteran’ practice squad players allowed. In the past two seasons, two players with two years of accrued service were still eligible for the practice squad, and that number has been expanded to four players moving forward. What this means is that there will be more chances for players with a little bit of playing time (two accrued seasons or less) to stick around with an NFL team on their practice squad.

The practice squad is designed to help teams develop younger players better, as instead of taking up a spot on the 53-man roster a developmental player can be signed to the practice squad to continue working with the team. This comes with some risk, of course, as that player could be signed by another team at any moment, but the underlying fact is that the practice squad is all for developing players. That’s why it’s a good thing that the practice squads will still contain ten players and that there are now four spots for players with two years of accrued play or less, as it will give more players a chance.

Who are some players that you think could wind up on the Colts’ practice squad this year?