NFL practice squads 2021: Squad strength, salaries, rules and other details 

Now that NFL teams have assembled their 53-man rosters, it's time to start building the practice squad. After the waiver wire deadline at 12:00 pm ET on Wednesday, teams released a list of unclaimed players, and they can now start fleshing out their practice squad rosters.

The practice squad has gone from being a scout team of sorts to a very important part of fielding a team within the last few seasons. Practice squad players are no longer just in the developmental stage, they are seen as possible replacements in the event a starting player can't take the field.

Full NFL practice squad details

How many players are on the practice squad?

Each team in the NFL has a practice squad. The practice squad used to consist of ten players, but in 2020, due to COVID-19 and the potential for an outbreak, it was extended to 16 players.

The NFL chose to keep the extension to 16 players in 2021, since COVID-19 is still very much a factor and has already impacted some teams before the start of the regular season.

Which players are chosen for the practice squad?

Any NFL player can be signed to the practice squad. Sometimes, it's rookies who may have gone undrafted and teams aren't ready to part ways with them yet. Other times, it's a veteran player whom an NFL team wants to take a chance on and place on the active roster at some point.

The #Steelers are re-signing WR Rico Bussey to the practice squad and the #Cowboys are doing the same with DB Kyron Brown, per their agent @SamLeaf.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 1, 2021

How much is a practice squad player's salary?

The minimum salary for a practice squad player is $9,200 per week, NFL players who have at least two years of league experience make $14,000 per week. If the player gets promoted to the active roster, they receive a game check that week worth a minimum of $36,000.

Can other teams take practice squad players from another team?

Each week of the season, every NFL team has to select four players whom they would like to "protect". This means that another NFL team can't acquire that player. Apart from the protected players, every practice squad player is up for grabs.

Eagles have agreed to terms with the following players to join the practice squad: pic.twitter.com/0O7td0jEQ1

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 1, 2021

How do practice suqad players get promoted?

A new rule that the NFL has adopted for the practice squad is that every NFL team is allowed to promote two practice squad players each week. After that week's game, the team is then allowed to send those players back to the practice squad.