The National Football League is ruthless. And when we say that, we’re not just talking about how physical the game is, but about how lopsided the salary scales can be. Whereas superstars and quarterbacks make plenty of money, others don’t even have guaranteed salaries.
Hundreds of thousands of people try to make it to the NFL year in and year out. Sadly, just 53 men make the final roster, leaving most of those aspirants wandering around as free agents. Some of them, however, get another shot by playing as practice squad players.
But, how much money do those practice squad players make? Are their deals guaranteed? Can they play on a team and even win a Super Bowl? We’re going to answer all of those questions shortly.
Vince Lombardi trophy. (Getty)
What’s A Practice Squad Player?
As you can tell by the name, a practice squad player is only there for practice purposes. Teams claim those players who didn’t make the 53-man roster off waivers and they can sign up to 16 of them to the practice squad.
Practice squad players are paid weekly and can be released at any point in the season. On the flip side, they’re also free to sign with any NFL team they please, except from 4 “protected” practice squad players.
The players aren’t eligible to play in actual NFL games unless they’re promoted. Also, they can’t sign with the team’s next rival unless he does it more than 6 days before the game, or 10 days if the game is after a BYE week.
How Much Do Practice Squad Players Make In 2021?
As per the NFLPA’s CBA, practice squad players make $9,200 per week or $165,600 per the whole season. In the case of veterans with 2+ years of experience, that number jumps to $14,000 weekly or $252,000 per 18 weeks.
