Updated: Aug. 29, 2024 to reflect accurate practice squad via NFL Trade Rumors
The practice squad is a very valuable and oftentimes overlooked part of an NFL team's path to success. As we've been saying for months, depth is the key to success, and having guys who you can lean on is necessary. Especially when injuries undoubtedly rare their ugly heads. There isn't a team that won't face losing players to issues that could be mild to major.
Being able to replace those players with competent backups is important. A lot of times, those replacements come from the practice squad. As of 6:00 PM ET on Aug. 28, 2024, the Texans have 13 players under contract with their practice squad.
The Texans can have a total of 16 players on their practice squad. They could have had 17 if they were part of the International Pathway Program, but they are not. Currently, this is what the practice squad looks like;
- DE Solomon Byrd
- OT Cameron Erving
- DE Malik Fisher
- FB Troy Hairston
- DT Marcus Harris
- CB D’Angelo Ross
- RB Johnny Johnson III
- R.B. J.J. Taylor
- LB Max Tooley
- LB Ezekiel Turner
- OT Kilian Zierer (International)
- Mark Perry
- OL Braeden Daniels
- QB Kedon Slovis
- TE Cole Fotheringham
- WR Xavier Johnson
- OT David Sharpe
As you can see several standouts from the preseason made the cut, like J.J. Taylor and Max Tooley. They also picked up former Cleveland Browns and Kanas City Chiefs offensive tackle Cameron Erving. Usually, veteran players couldn't sign with the practice squad but that is a new change. Teams can now have up to six veterans who exceed six years in the league or more.
As always, any one of the other 31 teams can sign a practice squad player, but only if the player signed remains on the 53-man roster for the rest of the season. Teams can't just sign a practice squad player to put him on a new practice squad. Teams can also release practice squad players at any time for any reason, and once released, can then sign with a new practice squad. Though they must pass waivers first.
Players on the practice squad don't need to go through a whole ordeal to play either. They can be activated on the day of a game, up to 90 minutes before game time. They don't need to be signed to the main roster to play. So the Texans can "promote" up to two players per week for the game. Those players are also untouchable if announced ahead of time.
They can be called up three times in a season, but a fourth will mandate a contract with the main roster. Most practice squad players will make $225k for the season ($12.5k per week), while veteran players will make anywhere from $302.4k to $383.4k per season.
Upcoming opponents can sign guys off of the Texans (or anyone else's practice squad) up until and including the week they face off with them. That said, they have to do it within six days of the eventual matchup, 10 if it follows a bye week.