After getting cut Tuesday, four former Georgia Tech players were signed Wednesday to the practice squads of the teams they were with in the preseason.
Offensive tackle Devin Cochran (Cincinnati), wide receiver Kyric McGowan (Washington) and safety Juanyeh Thomas (Dallas) were signed to their team’s respective practice squads. All three had been with their teams since signing with them as undrafted free agents after going unselected in the April draft.
Wide receiver Jalen Camp, who turned professional after the 2020 season, signed with Houston to join its practice squad. Camp was with the Texans last season, spending most of the season on their practice squad before appearing in three games at the end of the season.
Three other former Tech players who turned professional after last season survived Tuesday’s cutdown to make their team’s initial 53-man regular-season rosters: safety Tariq Carpenter (Green Bay), long snapper Jack Coco (also with Green Bay) and running back Jordan Mason (San Francisco).
Teams are allowed to keep 16 players on their practice squads, which are often made up of players that teams had in the exhibition season but didn’t make the roster. The primary purpose is to perform scout-team duties, but it’s also an opportunity to continue developing and be available to be signed to the active roster.
It can be a tenuous existence, as players on the practice squad can be released at any point during the season. They can’t appear in games unless signed to the active roster.
But it’s a foot in the door and pays better than nearly all entry-level jobs, albeit with far less security. Players with two or fewer accrued seasons in the NFL will make $11,500 per week. Over the 18-week regular season, that’s $207,000.
As Thomas wrote in a tweet, “Still get to take care of my family. The main goal. Blessed to even be able to stay in Dallas, now let’s get back to work.”
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