How NFL Players are Stashed Before the Final Cut

Former NFL executive Gil Brandt was guest on Saturday's Press Coverage with Vic Carucci and Dan Leberfeld and spoke about how NFL coaches "stash" players during training camp and preseason.

Author:
Kyle T. Mosley
Updated:
Aug 22, 2021 6:25 PM EDT
Original:
Aug 22, 2021

The Godfather of the National Football League, former NFL executive Gil Brandt was guest on Saturday's Press Coverage with Vic Carucci and Dan Leberfeld and spoke about how NFL coaches "stash" players during training camp and preseason.

Brandt is a Hall of Famer and former executive credited for his days of building the Dallas Cowboys teams to prominence. He said NFL "coaches in this league find ways to beat the system."

If you ever reviewed the NFL transaction reports after preseason games, you would see a flurry of activity from teams by placing the injury designations on players. Some players would accept the reserve/injured listing, yet a few would request a release via "injury settlement."

THE NFL LOOPHOLE

Brandt called the loophole in the system "gamesmanship." Why are coaches and executives resorting to stashing players in this manner? Easy, good players who may not be ready for the team's 53-man roster could find a home developing on its 16-man practice squad (up from 12 due to newly agreed COVID-19 protocols between the NFL and NFLPA in 2020).

Teams also hide vested veterans at the start of the regular season. Who are vested veterans? A player who has four or more years of accrued service time in the National Football League. So why hide them in the first game? It's financial for clubs. A vested veteran who starts the season in game one will have his contract guaranteed for the remainder of the season.

Preseason games are great for team coaches to evaluate how players "may perform" against other NFL squads. A team could typically downplay a player's camp performance, especially if the athlete has a solid camp and chooses to stash him.

SCOUTING TALENT TO SIGN

However, scouts use preseason films of their competitors' talent. They monitor the waiver wire listing for cuts, especially after the 53-man rosters are announced. Once a player becomes available, the NFL front offices would either place a waiver claim or extend a contract offer once they clear waivers. For this reason, a team could list a player as injured.

Brandt disclosed an interesting fact on drafted players who clear waivers. Usually, they return to the team that released them. In 2020, only 19 players went to other teams, "11 in the AFC and 8 in the NFC."

Often a team would waive during the preseason, and other ball clubs may not be interested in a perceived "player bust," but the original team would re-sign the player after three weeks have passed.

SMOKESCREENS IN TRANSACTIONS

Loopholes are everywhere. Fans usually react with anger and doubt when a player is cut or signed after being cut. The business of the NFL is complicated. At times, the average fan will see a smokescreen filled with speculation and innuendos - but, it's more to it in the NFL.

When the next round of cuts occurs, think like an NFL coach or exec instead of a passionate fan. Think about what's the long game in the transaction for the team? It won't immediately make sense. Just read the transaction wire in a day or two, and you will start to understand what the team had in mind.

In the meantime, have fun and enjoy preseason and training camp. In a few weeks, NFL rosters will start to take shape and make sense.

New Orleans may have several prime candidates who may not make the final 53-man roster. Keep an eye on WR Easop Winston, Jr., LB Andrew Dowell (having a great camp), DT Jalen Dalton, S Eric Burrell, TE Ethan, Wolf, WR Lil' Jordan Humphrey, C Christian Montano, and DB Bryce Thompson as bubble players who need to make an impact the next two preseason games.