Sport: NFL practice squad signings: Complete rosters for all 32 NFL teams in 2021

Chiefs' Tyrann Mathieu tests positive for COVID-19, could return for Week 1

Mathieu is fully vaccinated, which means he could return to team activities without completing an isolation period of at least 10 days if he produces two negative virus tests taken 24 hours apart. McDowell added Mathieu was asymptomatic as of Wednesday afternoon. In a corresponding roster move, Kansas City re-signed wide receiver Marcus Kemp. For now, Mathieu is on track to be available for the regular-season opener against the Cleveland Browns held at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 12.

Practice squads will once again be crucial for NFL teams as the league and world continue to navigate a global pandemic in 2021. There are bound to be some positive COVID-19 tests that will impact teams, so they will rely on practice squad players to help overcome any absences.

That's part of why the league is once again allowing teams to sign 16 players to practice squad rosters. Originally, the NFL and NFLPA's Collective Bargaining Agreeement outlined a 12-man practice squad in 2021 with an increase to a 14-man unit in 2022. However, because of the pandemic, both parties agreed to expanded units last year; that policy will stay in effect for 2021.

Patriots practice squad and waiver wire tracker: News, rumors, signings

Related: Patriots roster cuts tracker: Recap, instant analysis, and moreAs of 12 p.m. ET Wednesday, the claiming deadline for players with less than four accrued seasons on their respective résumés has passed. Players that have been let go over the last two days are now subject to the waiver wire — including 21 now-former Patriots. All of them could, in theory be scooped up by other clubs.

Teams are allowed to begin signing players to practice squad contracts at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 1. That coincides with the passing of the waiver period after the NFL's final roster cuts. NFL teams had to trim their 80-man rosters down to 53 by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

NFL teams are allowed to carry up to six veterans on the practice squad. That means there will be plenty of recognizable names on each unit, especially some experienced quarterbacks.

Sporting News is tracking each NFL team as they fill out their practice squads. Also included are details on the rules and salaries for practice squad players.

MORE: Full roster cuts for all 32 NFL teams

NFL practice squad signings: 2021 rosters for all 32 NFL teams

Below are the initial practice squad signings that teams made after Tuesday's final cuts, via either team announcements or media reports.

NBA proposes new set of strict rules for unvaccinated players

ESPN has obtained a memo from the NBA that proposes stringent protocols for the upcoming season for players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. The memo states that unvaccinated players "will have lockers as far away as possible from their vaccinated teammates and will have to eat, fly, and ride buses in different sections." Unvaccinated players will also be subject to testing on practice days as well as game days and could be potentially be checked twice ahead of games. Other bullet points, as mentioned above, regarding the limited contact unvaccinated players can have with their inoculated teammates.

Practice squads are subject to change and teams will frequently shuffle players throughout the 16 available spots throughout the 2021 NFL season.

49ers practice squad

• TE Jordan Matthews

Bears practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Bengals practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Bills practice squad

• QB Jake Fromm

Broncos practice squad

• WR Seth Williams
• QB Brett Rypien
• LB Curtis Robinson
• WR Kendall Hinton
• OL Austin Schlottmann

Browns practice squad

• QB Nick Mullens
• LB Elijah Lee
• TE Jordan Franks

Buccaneers practice squad

• WR Cyril Grayson

Cardinals practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Chargers practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Chiefs practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Colts practice squad

• S Shawn Davis
• DL Kam Cline

Cowboys practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Dolphins practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Eagles practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Falcons practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Giants practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Jaguars practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Jets practice squad

• TE Kenny Yeboah

Lions practice squad

• DT Miles Brown
• QB Steven Montez

Packers practice squad

• QB Kurt Benkert
• OL Cole Van Lanen
• CB Kabian Ento
• WR Equanimeous St. Brown

Panthers practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Patriots practice squad

• DL Bill Murray
• DB Myles Bryant
• TE Matt LaCosse
• WR Tre Nixon
• OL Alex Redmond

Raiders practice squad

• OL Devery Hamilton

Rams practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Ravens practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Saints practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Seahawks practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Steelers practice squad

• OL John Leglue

Texans practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Titans practice squad

• TE Miller Forristall

Vikings practice squad

• No signings reported yet.

Washington practice squad

• RB Peyton Barber
• DL Bunmi Rotimi
• DE William Bradley-King
• DT Gabe Wright
• DL Daniel Wise
• OT David Steinmetz
• LB Jordan Kumaszyk
• WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
• C Keith Ismael

MORE: Why did the Patriots cut Cam Newton?

Red Sox place right-hander Nick Pivetta on COVID-19 IL as outbreak worsens

The Red Sox now have a combination of 12 players and coaches sidelined due to the coronavirus. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts; utility man Enrique Hernandez; second baseman Christian Arroyo; infielder Yairo Munoz; and pitchers Matt Barnes, Hirokazu Sawamura and Martin Perez tested positive for COVID-19, while left-hander Josh Taylor and first-base coach Tom Goodwin are in quarantine as close contacts. Quality control coach Ramon Vazquez has also tested positive for the virus.

How much are NFL practice squad players paid?

There are two NFL practice squad salary scales. The first group is comprised of rookies and players with two or fewer accrued seasons. The second is for the NFL veterans with no limit to the accrued seasons under their belts.

The first group is set to be paid $9,200 a week in 2020. This is up from $8,400 a week in 2020 and will continue to rise on a yearly basis through the duration of the NFL and NFLPA's CBA deal in 2030.

Below are the weekly salaries of players with two or fewer accrued seasons through 2030.

Year	Weekly salary
2021	$9,200
2022	$11,500
2023	$12,000
2024	$12,500
2025	$13,000
2026	$13,750
2027	$14,500
2028	$15,250
2029	$16,000
2030	$16,750

The second group is paid more than the first group, as these players often have a lot of NFL experience under their belts. Right now, each player is receiving a fixed weekly salary, but beginning in 2022, their salaries will be within a negotiable price range.

Here's a look at those contract values through 2030.

Year	Minimum weekly salary	Maximum weekly salary
2021	$14,000	$14,000
2022	$15,400	$19,900
2023	$16,100	$20,600
2024	$16,800	$21,300
2025	$17,500	$22,000
2026	$18,350	$22,850
2027	$19,200	$23,700
2028	$20,050	$24,550
2029	$20,900	$25,400
2030	$21,750	$26,250

Practice squad contracts do not include guaranteed salaries, bonuses or incentives. They are entirely about the weekly check.

NFL insider expects New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman to be fired in 2022

Many fans already believe Gettleman’s tenure should be over. Given four draft classes to work with, including a 2019 class with three first-round picks, the results have been entirely underwhelming. Reviewing the New York Giants mistakes under Dave GettlemanGettleman received criticism in the 2018 NFL Draft for spending the No. 2 pick on Saquon Barkley instead of taking a potential franchise quarterback or trading down. He tried to redeem himself a year later, selecting Daniel Jones with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.Jones has an 8-18 record across two seasons, posting an 84.

That said, if a player is promoted to the active roster for game day, they will receive a prorated cut of the minimum annual salary for a player with his number of accrued seasons. In 2020, that was 1/17 of the minimum. It seems likely to change to 1/18 of the minimum in 2021 due to the NFL's change to a 17-game, 18-week schedule.

MORE: Which NFL teams have strongest, weakest schedules in 2021

How many players can be on an NFL practice squad?

For the second consecutive year, NFL teams will be allowed to carry 16 players on their practice squads in 2021. Previously, practice squad sizes had been limited to just 10 players. Initially, the league planned a practice squad expansion to 12 players in 2020 (with a second expansion to 14 coming in 2022), but they increased the allotment because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 16-player practice squad provided teams with roster flexibility and an opportunity to keep more players familiar with the system. That proved crucial during the COVID-impacted campaign, and as such, the league kept practice squad sizes at 16 for 2021.

Who is eligible for an NFL practice squad?

There are a few practice-squad rules related to service time.

Players on NFL practice squads usually fall into the following categories. They are:

• Players who do not have an accrued season of NFL experience (rookies)
• Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s)

NFL teams have no limit on the amount of these players that can be on the practice squad. However, teams are also allowed to keep a handful of slightly more experienced players around. These rules were added recently to allow teams to keep some veteran talent and depth around outside of the active roster.

Rob Gronkowski's brother says Buccaneers TE will retire when Tom Brady does

Tom Brady's retirement will mark the end of not one but two Hall of Fame NFL careers. © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports It seems Gronk and Brady are a package deal. Chris Gronkowski recently told TMZ Sports that his brother, Rob Gronkowski, will officially retire when Brady does. "Whatever Tom has left, I think that's what Rob has left as well," Gronkowski's brother said. "I just can't see him playing with another quarterback. It's tough to get that chemistry. It's tough to win once you lose that QB.

There are, however, limited on those players, which are as follows:

• Up to four players per team who have earned no more than two accrued seasons (no game limitations)
• Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of earned accrued seasons

That's why some recognizable players, like Josh McCown and Theo Riddick, have spent time on practice squads in recent seasons. Teams now have the flexibility needed to keep them around without using active roster spots.

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Can practice squad players play in games?

Only two practice squad players will be eligible to play in NFL games on a weekly basis. NFL teams are allowed to promote two players to the active roster for game days to expand the gameday roster to 55. This can occur any time before the official actives/inactives list is released 90 minutes before the game.

However, the other 14 players will not be on the active roster and, as a result, will not be able to play. And NFL teams aren't obligated to promote players from the practice squad either, so they can opt to keep their gameday rosters at 53. Only 48 players are active for NFL games.

Can practice squad players sign with other teams?

Practice squad players are eligible to sign with other NFL teams but only if they are signed to another team's 53-man roster. There are no practice squad to practice squad transactions.

NFL teams can also sign their own practice squad players to their 53-man roster. They just have to open up a roster spot to do so.