The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of their roster cuts, dropping to the league’s 53-man regular-season limit. They have already started making moves and have until 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday to finish trimming the roster. After that, the fun begins.
After the league processes all the waiver claims from Sunday’s roster cuts, Miami can sign players to the practice squad on Monday. This group is mostly younger players who need more development time, with a few veterans who could quickly find themselves
on the field on game day.
We will keep you updated on all the rumors, reports, signings, and changes as the practice squad fills up. Keep in mind that reports can be made, and then a player can land with another team when a better offer comes in. Nothing is official unless the Dolphins have announced the signing.
Typically, the first players signed are those the team just cut, but there will also be moves to bring in free-agent veterans or players from other teams.
The Dolphins have a young roster this season, and they hope development during one tough season will improve the team’s consistency and future winning. Miami remains the AFC team with the longest odds to make the playoffs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, which has them listed at +1500 to make a postseason appearance this year. The practice squad, and the players who can develop there, might be critical to the franchise’s future.
We also have all the rules for the practice squad so you can make sure to keep up with everything.
When can players be signed?
Teams can begin signing players to their practice squad at 1 p.m. Eastern on Monday. Before then, the league will complete the claims process for any players who were subject to waivers rather than receiving an outright release.
Players with less than four accrued seasons in the NFL must go through the waivers process. To accrue a season of service time in the NFL, a player must be on a roster (to include injured reserve time) for more than six games in a season. Players on the practice squad are not receiving that service time (and that is why you will see players who are listed as in their first year, but not a rookie, on team rosters).
Players with more than four accrued seasons are released by their former team and do not have to go through the waivers process. They are immediately considered free agents and can sign with another team – either their 53-man roster or onto the practice squad.
How many players can be on the practice squad?
Teams are limited to 16 players on the practice squad – with a 17th allocation authorized for a developmental player in the league’s International Player Pathway program. The Dolphins’ rookie tight end Seydou Traore, drafted in the fifth round, is eligible for the roster exemption as an IPP member if Miami waives him and then signs him back to the practice squad.
Who is eligible for the practice squad?
The 16 standard allocations for the practice squad have some limits on who can be signed to those positions. Ten of the slots are restricted to players with less than two accrued seasons in the NFL. The other six positions are not limited and can be used to sign veteran players who have been in the league for more than two seasons.
What is the practice squad salary?
For 2026, players two or fewer accrued seasons will earn $13,750 per week on the practice squad. Veteran players with more than two accrued seasons will earn at least $18,350 per week, with salaries negotiable up to$22,850 per week.
Practice squad salaries do count against a team’s salary cap.
What is “poaching”?
A practice squad player is free to sign with another team as long as they are signing to the 53-man roster. Colloquially termed “poaching,” the player joins the new team, with a requirement that the player be on the 53-man roster for at least three weeks. A team can release them early, but they still must pay them for the three weeks of work.
To limit a team from signing a player off the practice squad of their next opponent, potentially gaining game plan information, there are restrictions for those signings. A team may not sign a practice squad player from an upcoming opponent within six days of the scheduled game. That restriction is extended to 10 days if the team is on its bye week.
What are elevations and how is that different than a promotion?
Players on a practice squad may be promoted to their team’s active roster at any time. This is a standard transaction: signing a player like a free agent, with a corresponding roster move to free up a slot on the 53-man roster.
Teams can also elevate a player to the active roster, which is different from a promotion. Up to three times per season, a practice squad player may be designated as available for a game without being added to the 53-man roster. They are elevated for game day but then revert to the practice squad after the game. This gives teams some flexibility and depth options, especially if a player on the 53-man roster is injured and cannot play but is not hurt enough to warrant placing them on injured reserve.
Teams are allowed two elevations per game, giving them a potential pool of 55 players each week to construct their game-day roster. Teams are only authorized to have 48 players active for the game.
Dolphins Practice Squad Rumors / Reports
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Practice Squad Roster
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