The NFL is continuing to showcase an open mind on league rules and policies that have been forced to change amid the COVID-19 pandemic over the past 18 months. The latest news comes courtesy of a league-wide memo and reveals that a rule change put in place last season is going to be sticking around:
There’s no limit on player returns off of the injured reserve list in 2021.
“The NFL just made it official in a memo to clubs: Unlimited players can return from a team’s injured reserve list in 2021 and they’re eligible after missing three games, rather than eight weeks, per source. A popular change spawned by COVID challenges stays for another year.
Worth noting: As in the past, only players on the 53-man roster after cutdown are eligible to be designated for return from IR (or NFI). Limits “stashing” scenarios. So, this year that’s anytime after 4 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Sept. 1.” — Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
The expanded flexibility that this is going to provide NFL teams as it relates to roster decisions is undeniable. The ability to stay fluid and flexible with bottom of the roster personnel should allow teams to keep more of their developmental fringe players without having to expose them to waivers or yank them back and forth relentlessly between the practice squad and the active roster. Teams can have the peace of mind of knowing that there may be a one month stay on IR for a player but that their activation is eligible at any point in the season after three games.Given the NFL’s expanded practice squads again this season and the two bonus spots on the game day roster for practice squad players, this will allow teams to handle more short-term injuries in house without bringing in as many players from the outside.
The only question from here is how this will continue to impact the strategy in constructing a practice squad. We’ll find out soon because, as Pelissero points out, roster cuts are due on the 1st of September.
