On Marcus Easley and Buffalo Bills Practice Squad Eligibility

As it has become increasingly evident that third-year Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley may have a tough time cracking the team's 53-man roster this season, I've been asked on dozens of occasions whether or not Easley - who has never appeared in a regular season game - can be stashed on the practice squad.

I owe WGR 550's Joe Buscaglia a note of thanks for confirming my suspicion: Easley is not eligible for the practice squad.

Here's the reason: only players that have zero or one accrued season, or who have spent two previous years exclusively on the practice squad, are eligible to be signed to that list. Easley, who has been paid his full salary in each of the last two years while on Injured Reserve, has two accrued seasons because he's been paid in full - so regardless of his circumstances (i.e. he's never played or been on the active roster for more than one week), he can't be kept on the practice squad.

That leaves Easley in a make-or-break situation: he'll either crack the Bills' active roster next month, or he'll be looking for work in another city.