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Friday’s call between the NFL and NFLPA executive committee resulted in a wide range of news, as the league and its players finalize a plan to return to team facilities and start training camp. Among the wave of news was the finer details of a previously reported idea.
In June, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that practice squads, initially set to expand from 10 players to 12 for 2020, would increase even further to 16 players. The change was to allow for greater flexibility in what will be a season unlike any other. The details of expanded practice squads show that flexibility, indeed, will be given.
According to Lindsay Jones of The Athletic, six of 16 practice squad players in 2020 can have an unlimited number of accrued seasons.
Teams have two options for training camp rosters:
— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) July 24, 2020
1) Cut to 80 before veterans report
2) Cut to 80 by Aug. 16
Practice squads will increase to 16 players; 6 of those players can have unlimited number of accrued seasons.
Previous practice squad rules will remain for the other 10 players. Those existing rules allow for any player who hasn’t accrued more than three seasons on the practice squad or two seasons on active rosters to be placed on the practice squad.
For the Seahawks, the flexible practice squad rules in 2020 will be welcome, as they have a host of high-upside undrafted free agents and, as always, raw athletes in need of refinement.