Colts Mailbag: info on PS #s/rules (plus more detail)

[EastStreet]

Interesting clarifications to roster and practice squads #s and rules.

 

Big takeaways,

1. roster stays at 53 (not 55), but call up rules (from PS) sort of make it 55 capable (temp).

2. unlimited years for a subset of PS players (2 players now, 4 in 2022)

3. PS pay is now more regulated

4. Game day roster from 46 to 48, and better explanation of the extra OL spot rules

 

https://www.colts.com/news/marlon-mack-jonathan-taylor-philip-rivers-2020-projections-mailbag

Quote

 

— The active gameday roster will increase from 46 players to 48, including eight offensive linemen.

— Practice squads will be expanded from 10 to 12 players in 2020-21 and then to 14 players in 2022. There is also now no limitation on the number of years a player can be on the practice squad.

— According to the NFLPA, "Practice Squad Players elevated to the Active list may be returned to the Practice Squad without having to go through waivers 2 times. Two Practice Squad players each week may be elevated to the Active/Inactive list (increasing the Active/Inactive roster to 54 or 55)."

— An additional player may be designated-to-return from Injured Reserve; previously a team could attempt to return two players from IR, and now that number is three.

 

 

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2020/5/5/21246410/understanding-the-nfls-new-roster-rules-beginning-in-2020

Quote

 

Practice squad eligibility 

As you’ve probably heard, the new CBA allows an expansion of team practice squads from 10 players to 12 in 2020. But eligibility rules have been substantially relaxed. Players who can be on practice squads now fall into four groups:

 

1. Players with less than one accrued NFL season (six games on an active roster)

2. Players who have been on an active roster for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s)

3. Players who have earned no more than two accrued seasons with any number of games (up to 4 players)

4. Players with any number of accrued seasons (up to 2, but increases to 4 in 2022)

 

If you think the third and fourth groups are a departure from the old rules, you’re right. It is.

 

But both of them have a limitation: a team may only have four practice-squad players whose eligibility is based on Group 3 — and only two based on Group 4. Starting in 2022 — when the squad size increases to 14 players — four Group 4 layers will be allowed.

 

Wouldn’t this allow a class of professional practice-squad players to exist? In some respects, it would — particularly if we’re talking about players who have been in the league for a number of years, but who aren’t quite good enough to be on a team’s roster.

 

A team might want to have a couple of guys like that on their practice squad to provide veteran leadership and improve roster depth. In the case of the Chiefs, think of players like Anthony Sherman or Daniel Sorensen. If they become cap casualties (and can’t find a spot on another team) the Chiefs might consider putting them on their practice squad. Whether or not the Chiefs (or any other team) will choose to make such a move is unknown — but the new rules would allow it.

 

Practice squad pay

The 2011 CBA only stated a minimum weekly salary for practice-squad players. Otherwise, teams could pay them whatever they wanted — usually so that their players would be less likely to be poached. As recently as last season, the New England Patriots (of course it was the Patriots) reportedly paid a practice-squad player the minimum active roster salary to keep them from being poached. The only limitation on practice-squad salaries was that they counted against the salary cap — and they still do.

 

But the new CBA eliminates unlimited practice-squad salaries. All practice-squad players are paid a fixed weekly salary established under the CBA — except for Group 4 players, for whom the CBA establishes a minimum and maximum salary. In 2020, both are $12,000 for Group 4; all other practice-squad players will be paid $8,400 per week. In 2022, the Group 4 salaries must be between $15,400 and $19,900, while all others will be paid $11,500.

 

Practice squad elevation

As noted before, the normal rules about moving a player from the practice squad to the active roster remain in place. But the new CBA adds an alternative method called the Standard Elevation Addendum (SEA).

 

In many news articles about the CBA, brief descriptions of the SEA have led to a misconception that NFL rosters were increasing to 55 players — but this isn’t the case.

 

The SEA has its roots in the 2011 CBA’s Contagious Disease Addendum (CDA). This provision allowed a team that had been granted a roster exemption because one of its players had been infected with a contagious disease to easily (and temporarily) elevate a practice-squad player for a game. The player would be paid 1/17 of the appropriate NFL minimum salary for the game — and afterward, would automatically be returned to the practice squad. There was no requirement that they be paid as a regular player for three weeks — or pass through the waiver system before returning.

 

The new SEA does exactly the same thing — except that no doctor’s note (a roster exemption) is required; teams may use it for any reason they wish. It may be used on as many as two practice-squad players per game.

 

But both the SEA and the CDA (which remains in the 2020 deal) have a significant catch: they may not be applied to the same player for consecutive games. If a team wishes to make the practice-squad player available for the next game, the CBA requires that it “must follow all of the established procedures for signing a practice squad player to an NFL player contract” — in other words, do it the old-fashioned way.

 

There is one other wrinkle to the SEA — one that is not shared by the older CDA: it may be used only twice per season on an individual player.

 

Any other elevation of that player to the active roster must be done using the “established procedures.”

 

We don’t know how often teams will opt to use the SEA. But it’s not hard to imagine where it could be useful.

 

Let’s say Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward is nursing a hamstring injury. He might be able to play on Sunday, but you think he’ll be ready to play a week later. Using the SEA to make a practice-squad corner available to play in the coming game makes it easier to make a game-day decision that allows Ward to rest for another week.

 

The game-day roster

Under the 2011 CBA, teams were allowed to dress 46 players from their 53-man roster for a game. Under the new deal, they can dress 47. They can also dress a 48th player — as long as the game-day roster includes at least eight offensive linemen. But as we’ve seen, they can choose not just from their active roster, but also from designated practice-squad players — up to two from applications of the SEA, and perhaps more from CDA designations.

 

But why do offensive linemen get an extra roster spot?

 

It is believed to be because of the way the modern game is being played. To keep them fresh, defensive linemen are routinely rotated in and out of the lineup. Offensive linemen, however, tend to be a static group of players who are on the field for every offensive snap. This has led to most teams making just seven offensive linemen active on game days — meaning that after just two injuries on the offensive front, no one is available in the event of a third injury.

 

Last season, the Chiefs had at least two offensive linemen inactive for every single game. In about half of the games, three were inactive — and in one game, four didn’t dress. It’s a safe bet that the Chiefs will opt to dress a 48th player on game days.

 

 

[EastStreet]

The group-4 changes would make it easy to keep some vets. You could even stick Vinny on it, or keep a QB there as long as you want. Much more flexibility.....

[Scott Pennock]

I'm a fan of these new team and player friendly rules!

 

Can keep a younger vet around to help lead the taxi squad....including an extra QB.

 

Or a couple more rookies or first year players to develop.

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

This really does give teams more flexibility.  I don’t think they will dress 47 or 48 often. 

 

What us great about this is teams don’t have to release anyone when there is a injury in order to call up a PS guy. Gives them lots of flexibility. Although a player can chose to leave for another team at any time I like that they don’t have to go through waivers the first two times.

 

We can carry three QB without having to cut the 3rd string guy to make room for a PS guy when there is a injury.

[EastStreet]

1 minute ago, Chloe6124 said:

This really does give teams more flexibility.  I don’t think they will dress 47 or 48 often. 

 

What us great about this is teams don’t have to release anyone when there is a injury in order to call up a PS guy. Gives them lots of flexibility. Although a player can chose to leave for another team at any time I like that they don’t have to go through waivers the first two times.

I think they'll use all their spots. There's really no downside to dressing more. Having an extra OL will be nice, but the other extra slot will really be nice just for STs. Doesn't mean they have to call up a PS guy to dress an extra guy.

[CR91]

If the main roster expands to 55, game day roster going to 48 basically makes it the same as 53 and 46

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

5 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

I think they'll use all their spots. There's really no downside to dressing more. Having an extra OL will be nice, but the other extra slot will really be nice just for STs. Doesn't mean they have to call up a PS guy to dress an extra guy.

Yeah but you can’t call up a player to often or they have to go through waivers. So I could see them not doing it unless it’s necessary. Everytime there is a injury it seems someone in the back end of the 53 gets cut. So I really do like that change.  Taylor was one of those asthma year I hated to see get cut.

 

Looks like Chad Kelly will be taking a pay. cut lol. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Ok never mind I missed the point about not having to call up a guy from the PS. My brain wasn’t working. I forget not everyone dresses on game day.

[EastStreet]

2 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

Yeah but you can’t call up a player to often or they have to go through waivers. So I could see them not doing it unless it’s necessary. Everytime there is a injury it seems someone in the back end of the 53 gets cut. So I really do like that change.  Taylor was one of those asthma year I hated to see get cut.

 

Looks like Chad Kelly will be taking a pay. cut lol. 

You don't have to call up a player in order to use the 47th or 48th spot. You'll just have less undressed from the 53

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 minute ago, EastStreet said:

You don't have to call up a player in order to use the 47th or 48th spot. You'll just have less undressed from the 53

Got it. My brain was thinking lol.

[PrincetonTiger]

1 minute ago, EastStreet said:

You don't have to call up a player in order to use the 47th or 48th spot. You'll just have less undressed from the 53

you and @CR91 are correct 

    Teams will use every available than can even if they don’t use the call up every week

[EastStreet]

1 hour ago, PrincetonTiger said:

you and @CR91 are correct 

    Teams will use every available than can even if they don’t use the call up every week

Given our depth has improved, AND these news rules...... Our STs should take a nice step forward. Not worried about returns, especially PRs, just EP/FG and coverage.