The Practice Squad is an integral part of any NFL team as they provide roster spots for promising young players to grow and develop,  veterans to mentor those younger players, and stores players that can be called up in case of injury. You’d be hard-pressed to find a successful NFL team that doesn’t have a solid practice squad behind it. Under the current rules, NFL Practice Squads can have at most 16 players, 10 of which have to be rookies or second-year players. An additional 17th player can be added through the International Pathway Program.

Best Practice Squad Pick

Carter: Buffalo Bills

Roster:

QB Mike White, RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Deon Cain, WR KJ Hamler, WR Tyrell Shavers, WR Jalen Virgil, TE Zach Davidson, OL Will Clapp, OL Mike Edwards, OL Richard Gouraige, DT Eli Ankou, DT Branson Deen, DE Kameron Cline, DE Kingsley Jonathan, CB Te’Cory Couch, CB Daequan Hardy, S Lewis Cine, S Kareem Jackson

This Bills Practice Squad is easily the best in the league. Multiple players such as safety Kareem Jackson are easily starters or second-stringers in most of the league, but have been relegated to the practice squad on an extremely talent-heavy Buffalo team. What’s interesting about this squad is it has three former Denver Broncos players: wide receiver KJ Hamler, wide receiver Jalen Virgil, and safety Kareem Jackson. You also can’t overlook generational offensive lineman and Chargers legend WILL CLAPP who will add to this team for years to come.

Mercer: Oh Golly Jeepers that is interesting! Three players from the Broncos. Hey, do me a favor and remind me of the last time that team was in the playoffs! Look, the Bills definitely have a solid practice squad but to call them the best is a travesty to the entire sport. No one cares about KJ Hamler’s 380 total yards caught. I will say, to your point, Will Clapp carries this practice squad. He is a gentleman and a scholar and deserves way more respect than he is getting in the league.

Carter: Put some respect on the legend himself KJ Hamler. Prime 2020 KJ was a beautiful thing to watch, and considering the current wide receiver situation for the Bills, he may see the field sooner rather than later. If this squad was a starting lineup, I could see them making a deep playoff push and revolutionizing the game, not being a “travesty.”

Mercer: ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Are you kidding me? You could put a literal infant on the field and he could catch a pass from my boy Josh Allen with his beautiful cannon arm. KJ Hamler will not see the light of day on this 9-2 top of the AFC team. Also, the practice squad lacks versatility. Sure, they have great receivers and secondary, but where is the line? All I’m going to say is that you need multiple positions to have a well-rounded practice squad and the Bills just do not have that.

Carter: But this squad is well-rounded! Mike White is a solid backup option for Josh Allen, Frank Gore Jr. is also solid, the receiving core is there, both lines are excellent, and the backs are lockdown. You just aren’t seeing the vision that the Buffalo front office has for this squad.

Mercer: Carolina Panthers

Roster:

QB Jack Plummer, RB Mike Boone, WR Deon Cain, WR Jalen Coker, TE Feleipe Franks, TE Jordan Matthews, OL Brandon Walton, OL Ja’Tyre Carter, DL T.J. Smith, DT Jayden Peevy, LB Kenny Dyson, LB Thomas Incoom, LB Chandler Wooten, OLB Tarron Jackson, CB Lonnie Johnson, S Demani Richardson

Mercer: The Panthers, however, is the team to choose. This team is stacked from head to toe. First off you got veteran quarterback Jack Plummer who is an absolute unit on the field. You have solid receiving options in Deon Cain and Feleipe Franks, and you have arguably one of the best linebackers in the league Tarron Jackson. Also, this team is basically filled with starters. With how the Panthers are playing this season, it is a real possibility this entire practice squad will be playing next week.

Carter: After the Panthers’ recent success, the gap between the active roster and the practice squad is getting girthier. Jack Plummer in the big 2024 is so unserious. I’d honestly be shocked if I saw him complete a pass past five yards. Deon Cain and Feleipe Franks on a real NFL practice squad is an insult to the game. Their skillset would be better used at a McDonald’s than a professional football field. The only bright spot in this squad is former Broncos LB Thomas Incoom who should be a starter on this Panthers team, but this organization is very badly managed.

Mercer: If we are not going to have a serious argument what are we doing here? Let us keep things civil here and be honest, the Panthers are a better-run organization than any other team in the NFL. They are smart and talented, and their future both on the field and in the front office is the bright spark that gets me up in the morning.

Carter: That must be why you’re always late to school. I do better than the Panthers front office on Madden Franchise mode. If I were that organization, I would’ve cleaned house after they were embarrassed by the 7th-seed Broncos.

Worst Practice Squad Pick

Carter: Titans

Roster:

RB Jabari Small, WR Mason Kinsey, WR Bryce Oliver, OT Leroy Watson, C Corey Levin, G Cole Spencer, DL James Lynch, DT Abdullah Anderson, DT Isaiah Iton, DE Khalid Duke, S Kendell Brooks, DB Tre Avery, DB Anthony Kendall, DB Gabe Jeudy-Lally

Carter: This Titans Practice Squad is full of Madden auto-gen players. The future of the Titans 53-man roster is already bleak, and this practice squad isn’t helping. They have no solid options at any position to turn to in the event of injury or another catastrophic event. The only bright spot on this squad is wide receiver Mason Kinsey, who has really flown under the radar throughout his career. He’s a first-in, first-out kind of player who sticks to the fundamentals and has shown signs of improvement through his young four year career.

Mercer: Ravens

Roster:

QB Devin Leary, RB Chris Collier, RB John Kelly, WR Malik Cunningham, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Anthony Miller, WR Dayton Wade, TE Qadir Ismail, G Darrian Dalcourt, OT Corey Bullock, DE C.J. Ravenell, OLB Joe Evans, ILB Josh Ross, CB Bump Cooper, CB Ka’Dar Hollman

Mercer: The Ravens obviously have the worst practice squad. They have absolutely no depth and even less talent. Honestly, my brother’s middle school could clap their booties. With nobodies such as Devin Leary at the QB position, this team has no upside potential. If I were the Ravens I would throw the entire team away and start a new one. Shame on you Ravens, who is going to come up after King Henry gets hurt?