As the preseason comes to a close every year, fans and media obsess, justifiably, about the initial 53-man roster. A less explored topic is the practice squad.
The practice squad doesn’t often play a big role in a team’s immediate success, but usually, there’s one or two players who end up contributing to the team eventually.
A few examples from the past three years:
- Geronimo Allison began 2016 on the practice squad, and has ascended into a dependable target and the Packers’ No. 2 receiver.
- Jermaine Whitehead began 2016 and 2017 on the practice squad but turned into a steady player on both defense and special teams, playing 668 snaps total over the past two years.