The New York Jets practice squad is the unseen backbone of the active roster. Throughout the grueling NFL regular season, injuries mount and specific game plans require unique positional skill sets. The practice squad provides a highly competitive 16-player reserve pool that practices with the team daily, simulates upcoming opponents on the scout team, and stands ready to be elevated to the active 53-man roster on game days.
When injuries strike, the coaching staff under Head Coach Aaron Glenn regularly evaluates internal depth on the practice squad before looking to outside free agents or waiver claims. This page tracks the active reserve players and translates the complex NFL rules that govern their status.
📋 Active 16-Man Practice Squad Tracker
Below is the official, real-time list of players currently signed to the New York Jets practice squad:
| Player | Position | College | Status & Eligibility Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Scott | Running Back (RB) | Wyoming | Rookie (UDFA) — Developmental Depth |
| Chip Trayanum | Running Back (RB) | Toledo | Rookie (UDFA) — Developmental Depth |
| Caullin Lacy | Wide Receiver (WR) | Louisville | Rookie (UDFA) — Return & Perimeter Special Specialist |
| Malik McClain | Wide Receiver (WR) | Arizona State | Rookie (UDFA) — Developmental Depth |
| Jaden Keller | Linebacker (LB) | North Dakota State | Rookie (UDFA) — Front-Seven Depth |
| [Open Spot] | TBD | TBD | Vacant |
*Note: NFL teams can carry up to 16 active players on the practice squad. This tracker is updated instantly as official transaction papers are filed with the league office.
🧠 How the NFL Practice Squad Works
The modern NFL practice squad structure offers immense strategic flexibility to front offices. To understand the player movements occurring throughout the season, it helps to understand the core regulations:
1. Practice Squad Eligibility & Roster Limits
Out of the 16 players allowed on the squad, the roster is split into categories to ensure opportunities for developmental rookies while still permitting veteran depth:
- No Accrued Seasons: Players with no NFL game experience.
- Limited Accrued Experience: Players with fewer than nine active game appearances in their accrued seasons.
- Veterans (Up to 6): Up to six players can be signed who have an unlimited number of accrued NFL seasons. This allows the Jets to carry experienced, system-ready veterans like backup linemen or veteran defensive backs.
2. The Weekly Standard Game-Day Elevation
Under current NFL roster rules, teams can “elevate” up to two practice squad players to the active roster for game day without officially signing them to the 53-man roster.
- An individual player can be elevated up to three times per regular season.
- Following the game, the player automatically reverts back to the practice squad on Monday without having to clear NFL waivers.
- If the Jets wish to play that player a fourth time, they are required to sign them to a standard, active 53-man roster contract.
3. Can Other Teams Sign Our Practice Squad Players?
Yes. Practice squad players are essentially free agents and can be signed by any of the other 31 NFL franchises at any time. However, there is a critical safeguard: the acquiring team must sign the player directly to their active 53-man roster and keep them on that active roster for a minimum of three weeks. Another team cannot sign a player off the Jets’ practice squad simply to place them on their own practice squad.
📰 Real-Time Practice Squad Transaction Log
Stay up to date with the latest transactional cuts, signings, elevations, and practice squad contract figures as they happen:
- Jets Add Will Levis to the Practice Squad and Release Bailey Zappe
- The Jets Have Rebuilt Their Practice Squad in the Week Since They Set It
- Jets Practice Squad 2026 Watch: The UDFAs and Bubble Players Most Likely to Land On It
🙋Related Jets coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can be signed to the Jets’ practice squad?
NFL regulations permit teams to carry a maximum of 16 players on their practice squad during the regular season. This can include developmental rookies, young players, and up to six vested veteran players with unlimited accrued seasons.
How many times can a practice squad player be elevated to the active roster?
A practice squad player can be elevated to the game-day active roster up to three times per regular season. Following the third elevation, the team must sign them to a standard active contract on the 53-man roster to play them again.
Can another NFL team sign a player off the Jets’ practice squad?
Yes, any player signed to the practice squad is technically a free agent and can be signed by any of the other 31 NFL franchises. However, the acquiring team must add the player to their active 53-man roster and keep them active for a minimum of three weeks.
What is the weekly salary for an NFL practice squad player?
Practice squad salaries are divided into two tiers. Rookies and players with fewer than two accrued seasons earn a fixed weekly rate defined by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Vested veterans (players with more than two accrued seasons) negotiate their salaries within a mandated range, offering teams flexibility in contract construction.
Latest Practice Squad Moves
Practice squad signings, elevations and releases, newest first.
Jets Add Will Levis to the Practice Squad and Release Bailey Zappe
The Jets signed former Titans quarterback Will Levis to the practice squad on September 22 and released Bailey Zappe. What the move does and…
The Jets Have Rebuilt Their Practice Squad in the Week Since They Set It
The New York Jets finished the hardest part of roster season on August 31, when they cut to 53 and filled out a practice…
Jets Practice Squad 2026 Watch: The UDFAs and Bubble Players Most Likely to Land On It
⚡ In Brief: Practice Squad Projection Who are the top candidates for the Jets’ 2026 practice squad? While the final 16-man reserve pool won’t…