Projecting the Green Bay Packers practice squad 2019
Predictions for the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad.
As the preseason comes to a close every year, fans and media obsess, justifiably, about the initial 53-man roster. A less explored topic is the practice squad.
The practice squad doesn’t often play a big role in a team’s immediate success, but usually, there’s one or two players who end up contributing to the team eventually.
A few examples from the past three years:
- Geronimo Allison began 2016 on the practice squad, and has ascended into a dependable target and the Packers’ No. 2 receiver.
- Jermaine Whitehead began 2016 and 2017 on the practice squad but turned into a steady player on both defense and special teams, playing 668 snaps total over the past two years.
- Tyler Lancaster started last season on the practice squad, but ended up playing 271 defensive snaps and looks to be a key contributor this year.
Here is some simplified (though still complicated) information on practice squad rules and eligibility. Check out this article from Dave Schofield of Behind the Steel Curtain, and this article from Ed Valentine of Big Blue View for more comprehensive breakdowns:
- Teams can typically carry 10 players.
- Players can be on the practice squad for a total of up to three years. A “year” of being on the practice squad = six weeks for the first two years, and one week for the third year.
- Six or more of the 10 players need to have zero accrued seasons (six games on 53-man roster, IR, or PUP), or one accrued season with eight or less games on the 45-man gameday roster. Four or less of the 10 players can have one or two normal accrued seasons.
- For the Packers to get a player onto the practice squad, they need to cut the player, and then the player must clear waivers, meaning not get signed to another team’s 53-man roster.
- Practice squad players will make a minimum of $8,000 per week in 2019.
Following is a position-by-position breakdown of the best candidates for the Packers’ practice squad this year. “Candidates” reflects those who are eligible and whose 53-man roster spot is far from secured. Italicized players would count as of the four or less “veteran” (one or two normal accrued seasons) players the Packers can stash.