Predictions on starting lineup

lifetimeskin, I think your breakdown was right. I was just trying to say basically that I think, in addition to the guys I already have in the active roster, that Cartwright and Kozlowski (at least Cartwright) belong there as well.

So the question how can you fit them on the roster. Do you remove a couple of linemen or defensive backs? I don't know the answer.

Although now that I think about it, maybe the 53 man roster doesn't include the eight for the practice squad. Maybe this is why each Sunday morning you read about a handful of players "inactive" for the game. So they're still on the overall "active" roster for the season, just not for that day's game

Smoot, now I am really confused, is there 53 or 61 total (including inactives and practice squad players)? This would be a good thread!!!!

Ok, after some deducing through some old articles I think it's 61 including the practice squad

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news_article.asp?ID=PZMQZI88H6I7RB6JAC2PARX84W

Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms of a three-year deal with S Clint Finley. He was promoted to the team’s 53-man roster from the practice squad

So my understanding from this is that it's 53, not including the practice squad. I know there's a place where all the NFL rules can be found. I just can't find it right now

Joe, as usual your insight is great. I had not seen that side of McCants, and thought he had a virtual lock on #2 or 3 - nice to hear from someone much closer to the situation! It's going to be very interesting at WR. I can't wait for training camp to watch all of this start to shake out. What do you think of the chances of a Gardner trade for some DL help?
Thanks, John!

I don't think the Skins would be able trade Gardner for a D-lineman of any value-- at least nothing better than what they already have. The best I think they could hope for is maybe a 4th-round pick in exchange for Gardner. They might get lucky this summer and find some team that's desperate for wideouts due to training camp injuries, but even then, I don't think they'd get better than a 3rd rounder-- and that's a stretch. I think Gibbs will just let this wideout competition shake-out, and see who comes to play. If it becomes evident early on that Gardner isn't one of the top three wideouts, then they'll try to see if they can get anything useful in a trade.

Guys, here are what I believe are the correct limits:

Overall roster limit: 53 (does not include practice squad)
Practice Squad: 5
Weekly Active: 45 (Plus 3rd string QB - one of the 53)

Lifetime: So you actually get one more player than you showed for the weekly active list of 45, because that 3rd QB does not count as one of the 45. I agree they will keep 5 WR (many teams keep 4), because of all the 3-WR sets that Gibbs uses. However, I think you are a little high on DL (probably 6 - one bacup DT, and one backup DE), and low at LB. Remember, there are usually a few LB's on the ST, that will have SOME influence on the makeup. Also, expect them to carry 4 RB's, not 3. The 4th will be Cartwright. I do agree with your 4 TE's (H-Backs will probably all have the NFL position of TE). But I think there will be a 5th TE on the inactives, especially since I doubt that anyone likely to be #5 will qualify for the practice squad.

DAMN RIGHT!!! GO ADE, GO!!!


You heard it from Joe Crisp and Smooooootsmack, so it must be true. Ade in the starting line-up!

Terrel Owens - lookout! :headbange

Hog, so in general a team has 58 players to work with?

The practice squad was bumped from 5 to 8.

I got this from the NFLPA. From this I think the max is 58...guess they should have it right!

SQUAD SIZE

Section 1. Active List: For each regular season, the Active List limit will be 45 players per Club. This limit may not be reduced by the Clubs for the duration of this Agreement; provided, however, that individual Clubs may carry less than 45 players on their Active Lists during the regular season, but at no time less than 42.

Section 4. Active and Inactive List Limit: In any League Year, a Club’s Active and Inactive Lists shall not exceed 53 players.

PRACTICE SQUADS

Section 1. Practice Squads: For each regular season commencing with the 1993 League Year, the League may elect in accordance with this Article to establish practice squads not to exceed five (5) players per Club.

I did not realize the practice squad had been expanded. Is that new this year, or am I farther behind the times?

Yes, LIFETIME, I guess with the increased squad they have 61 players that they can hold rights to (not counting IR). However, there are restrictions on the practice squad. I'm not up-to-date on the movement restrictions to and from the regular roster. Maybe someone can help out there. But there are also restrictions as to who can be placed on the squad. If a player has been "active" (on the 45 man active squad) for 9 or more games in any one season, he is not eligible for the squad. There are a couple more aspects to the restrictions, but I do not recall just what they are. One or two NFL teams have been trying for the past few years to eliminate the inactive list, and make 53 players ineligible each week. But the competition committee has been unaimously against that on the basis of fairness. Right now, for example, if you have 7 dinged players, you can put them on your inactive list for a game. But if all 53 were eligible, and you have 7 dinged players while your opponent has none, you go into the game with 46 players against his 53. For that reason, it has not been changed, and probably never will be.