I must check it out a bit more but my understanding is that NFL have 53 players on the roster. That’s like our Inter county GAA match day panel of 26.
On top of that they can have up to 16 players on the “practice squad” which includes any guys who are injured. The IPP is to be added to the practice squad this year for a total of 17 practice squad.
I think our inter county teams are limited to 35 or 36.
If the IPP is called up to the active roster of 53, the practice squad number goes back to 16.
Being on the practice squad is no small achievement and it also carries a set salary of minimum $800k -$1m maximum!
Pre season training camp roster is set at max 90 players which includes anyone invited for trials. That panel must be cut to active roster of 53 plus the practice squad by a certain date.
That’s my understanding of how it all works anyway. It all seems a better and fairer system than the premiership. A proper salary cap and the draft system too make it a very exciting league. The 32nd team would be looking to draft well to build a championship winning side in the next few years. That would be like a team at the bottom of the championship in the UK buying academy player to win the premiership in a few years time!!!
