How Does The New England Patriots Are Practicing?

A player who has not accrued a season of NFL experience is eligible for the practice squad.

A player cannot be on a practice squad for a third season unless his team has a full 53-man roster.

An accrued season, per the NFLs definition, is a season of six or more games on either a teams 53-man roster, or on injured reserve, or on the physically unable to perform list.

The other four players on the practice squad are allowed to have up to two accrued seasons.

Without this exception, players that have earned one or more accrued seasons would not be eligible for a spot unless they spent fewer than nine games on a clubs 46-player active list in each of the accrued seasons.