Making the 53-man roster isn't the only way for an NFL player to keep his season alive.
More than 1,000 players were waived or released as NFL teams trimmed their rosters from 90 players to 53 on Sunday. Hundreds of them will be back at work a day later.
NFL teams will begin assembling their practice squads Monday after the waiver process is completed, giving players another opportunity to stay in the league, and potentially play in regular-season games.
Here's how NFL practice squads work in 2026, including how many players teams can sign, who is eligible and how much they get paid.
When are NFL practice squads announced in 2026?
NFL teams can begin establishing their practice squads Monday, Aug. 31, after the waiver process is completed.
Teams have until 1 p.m. ET Monday to submit claims on players
who were waived during final roster cuts. After those claims are processed and teams receive the NFL's subsequent Personnel Notice, they can begin signing players to their practice squads.
That means practice squad signings will official begin Monday afternoon.
Players who were waived must first clear waivers before signing a practice squad contract.
How many players are on an NFL practice squad?
NFL teams can carry 16 players on their standard practice squad in 2026.
Teams can have a 17th player if that spot is filled by a qualifying player designated through the NFL's International Player Pathway program.
Practice squad players practice with the team and participate in meetings but aren't automatically eligible to play in games.
Who is eligible for an NFL practice squad?
The NFL allows teams to carry a mixture of younger players and veterans. Players with no accrued NFL seasons are eligible, as are players who have fewer than nine regular-season games in their only accrued season.
Teams can also carry players with up to two accrued seasons, subject to roster limitations, and up to six practice squad players can have unlimited NFL experience.
That allows teams to use practice squads both to develop younger players and keep experienced veterans available as depth.
How much do NFL practice squad players make in 2026?
NFL practice squad salaries depend on experience.
Players with two or fewer accrued seasons receive $13,750 per week in 2026. Over an 18-week regular season, that would amount to $247,500 if the player remained on the practice squad for the entire season.
More experienced practice squad players can negotiate their weekly salaries within a specified range. In 2026, those players can make between $18,350 and $22,850 per week.
Over 18 weeks, that works out to between $330,300 and $411,300.
Practice squad jobs aren't guaranteed for the entire season. Players are paid for the weeks they're on the practice squad and can be released during the season.
Can NFL practice squad players play in games?
Yes.
NFL teams can temporarily elevate practice squad players to their game-day roster without permanently signing them to the 53-man roster.
A practice squad player can be elevated for up to three regular-season games during the season. After that, the team must sign him to its 53-man roster if it wants him available for another game.
An elevated player returns to the practice squad after the game without having to pass through waivers.
Do NFL practice squad players get paid more when they play in a game?
Yes.
When a practice squad player is elevated for a game, he's paid the NFL minimum salary for a player with his number of credited seasons, prorated for that week, rather than receiving his normal practice squad rate.
Can another NFL team sign a practice squad player?
Yes. A practice squad isn't a protected developmental roster.
Players can negotiate with other NFL teams, and another team can sign a player away from a practice squad if it signs him to its active roster. A team can't move a player from another organization's practice squad onto its own practice squad.
Can NFL practice squad players be traded?
No.
A practice squad player isn't under the type of NFL player contract that can be traded from one team to another.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: How much do NFL practice squad players make? Salary, rules for 2026
