NFL proposes caveat that allows full 90-man roster into training camp, increases practice squad tally

This could be great news for guys on the roster bubble

One of the biggest concerns going into late July, amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, was just how many players an NFL team would be allowed to carry into training camp. There had long been discussions of reducing the roster count from 90 men -- for the first time in over a decade -- to an undetermined number, rumors and reports varying between 75-85 players. It appears the NFL and the NFLPA may be willing to split the difference and allow 80 men in camp, per team, but a new proposal from the league gives teams the ability to sidestep the reduction, which itself has yet to be approved by the NFLPA.

In a conference call on Friday, the league reportedly proposed permitting teams to carry the full 90-man headcount -- per Chris Mortensen of ESPN -- assuming they don't have more than 80 in one building at one time. In other words, if teams can split practices between two or more facilities, they'll be able to meet the required cap of 80 men without having to cut into their rosters. 

Otherwise, they'd have to cut 10 players before Aug. 16, when padded practices are slated to begin.

This would be big news for fringe players on the bubble, be it veterans on prove-it deals or undrafted rookies because it allows them to have a shot at impressing their respective coaching staff in a world where there also won't be a preseason. Without the latter and facing a mandatory cutdown of rosters, the handicap on newly-signed head coaches -- e.g., Matt Rhule in Carolina and Mike McCarthy in Dallas -- coordinators also increased, seeing as they have already been without minicamp to begin assessing their new teams. Instead, teams like the Dallas Cowboys (as one example) can split practice between facilities they have access to, which could see McCarthy holding one practice at The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas and another at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. 

Additionally, the NFL ratified the NFLPA's proposal to expand the size of the practice squad roster, per Mark Maske of The Washington Post, which was set to nudge upward from 10 to 12 under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement. The increased practice squad size further helps teams not only evaluate, but retain talent they'd otherwise be forced to prematurely lose if held firm to the originally installed and/or proposed roster rules. 

There are still items on the table both sides must agree upon, such as salary cap resolution and final opt-out procedures, but players on the bubble who have lived for weeks in fear of not getting a fair shot can now exhale just a bit. And so can the coaches who are looking forward to laying eyes on them in practice.