How are NFL practice squad salaries Set?

Practice squad players are a major branch of an NFL roster. As of 2024, each NFL team is permitted to have a 17-player practice squad, but only if one of the players proves membership with the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP).

Practice squad players’ roles include adding depth for practices, undertaking scout team work, and standing in for injured players. Though practice squad players are not part of the 53-man roster of the regular season, they receive a liveable wage. 

The salary structure of practice squad varies between two categories of practice squad players. Those with two or fewer seasons earn a weekly salary at a fixed rate. Conversely, veteran players who have been in the NFL for three or more seasons do not have a set salary. They have the privilege of negotiating their salary within the predetermined range.  

NFL Practice Squad Salary for the 2024 Season

The league’s current collective bargaining agreement, that determines the salary structure, is set to run out in 2030. A player with less than two seasons and has been in the practice squad for a complete 18 weeks earns $225,000. For a player with at least two seasons and has been on the practice squad for 18 weeks, the salary ranges between $302,400 and $383,400.

For the 2024 season, the players who have been on the practice squad for at least two seasons receive minimum salary of $12,500 per week. 

However, the salary will increase yearly, all through to 2030, when the current CBA ends, as shown below.

In the 2024 season, a veteran practice squad player who has been in the NFL for at least three seasons or more will receive a minimum salary of $16,800 per week and a maximum salary of $21,300 per week. The salary will increase yearly, up until 2030, as shown below.