Buffalo Bills fill out 2023 practice squad roster with 16 players, per reports

The Buffalo Bills continue adding talent to the organization, with eyes on filling out the team’s 16-player practice squad (PS) roster prior to the start of the 2023 NFL regular season.

To that end, the Bills have added the following players to their PS. The team’s official social. Absent among the list is linebacker A.J. Klein and any quarterback.

• LB Christian Kirksey (signing confirmed by Built in Buffalo)
• DT Eli Ankou (reported by Sal Capaccio)
• DT Kendal Vickers (per Bills)
• DE Kameron Cline (per Bills)
• CB Ja’Marcus Ingram (reported by Alaina Getzenberg)
• CB Kyron Brown (reported by Jordan Schultz)
• OL Richard Gouraige (reported by NFL Draft Diamonds)
• OL Greg Mancz (per Bills)
• OL Kevin Jarvis (per Bills)
• QB Shane Buechele (reported by Adam Schefter)
• WR Andy Isabella (reported by Jordan Schultz)
• WR Tyrell Shavers (reported by Ryan Talbot)
• WR Marcell Ateman (per Bills)
• WR Bryan Thompson (per Bills)
• TE Joel Wilson (reported by Jay Skurski)
• RB Ty Johnson (reported by Jeremy Fowler)

Looking over the names listed above, it’s clear the Bills prioritized bringing back players who were with the team this spring and summer. From a player’s perspective, many chose to return or initially join out of opportunity and with winning a priority. Isabella has been a popular name with Bills fans, and for good reason — he’s produced well in an abbreviated camp and preseason audition. Defensive tackle Eli Ankou has invested time with One Bills Drive, and wanted to remain with the team, despite receiving other practice squad offers.

Perhaps the biggest news among all of Buffalo’s addition to the PS is linebacker Christian Kirksey joining the Bills. Having sustained an injury early this summer and missing all of camp and preseason, Kirksey became a salary cap victim — The Houston Texans will save $5.2 million in cap space this season. For Kirksey, he chose Buffalo looking for an opportunity to join a winning organization.

If you’re relatively new to the game of NFL football, perhaps you’d appreciate learning some of the details about the practice squad. Each NFL team can add 16 players to its PS, making adjustments to the group throughout the season and playoffs. Every PS player counts towards the team’s salary cap. Two players are eligible to be called up per week, per team — earning NFL minimum salary per their status. Once a player has been called up three times, the team must add them to their 53-man roster. Said player(s) will also be guaranteed three game checks.

Per the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA):

“If a Practice Squad player is elevated to a Club’s Active/Inactive List for any regular season game, the player’s weekly compensation specified in Paragraph 4 of the Practice Squad Player Contract will be adjusted to one-seventeenth (1/17th) of the Paragraph 5 minimum salary for players on a Club’s Active/Inactive List with the Practice Squad player’s number of Credited Seasons (i.e., the “up” amount) for such game.”

For example, an NFL rookie will make $12,000 each week they’re on the PS. If and when they are called up to the 53-man active roster, their check becomes $44,000 for each week they’re active. The day after playing in an NFL game, the rookie reverts back to the PS, where they continue getting paid $12,000 per week.

Spotrac shared an important reminder this week, providing essential details about the league’s PS. Every team can carry a maximum amount of 10 PS players with zero-to-two accrued seasons. Additionally, there’s a max number of six players allowed on the PS with unlimited accrued time.