Rams Make OT Isaiah Battle Highest-Paid Practice Squad Player In NFL

[Prime Time]

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/10/22/9592260/2015-st-louis-rams-ot-isaiah-battle

2015 St. Louis Rams Make OT Isaiah Battle Highest-Paid Practice Squad Player In NFL...To Protect Him?
By 3k  @3k_ on Oct 22, 2015

Well this is interesting: Did the Rams bump up Isaiah Battle's salary to keep him stashed on the practice squad instead of entertaining a new employer?

Field Yates
✔@FieldYates
Rams raised the salary of practice squad OT Isaiah Battle - a supplemental draft pick - to $25,588/week. Most for any PS player in NFL.

Huh.

Well.

Ok.

So OT Isaiah Battle is the highest-paid practice squad player in the NFL. That seems awfully unusual given that most practice squad players make under $7,000 a week.

That seems awfully unusual coming in the middle of October heading into Week 7 following a bye week after the Rams' roster is, more or less, pretty well set.

That seems awfully unusual coming two days after St. Louis Rams Head Coach, largely alluding to trade rumors surrounding TE Jared Cook, said this:

We take calls all of the time. People call. People have injuries. People have interest. That happens all of the time...People call. [Cook]’s not the only person that people called us about last week. There’s injuries. We’re not to the trading deadline. People have interest in players. This day in age they’ve got more information. If they sense that some players that you have may fit their system, they’re going to call. You either say yes or no."

Three and a half months ago, the Rams took Battle in the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft. Battle was the only player selected in the supplemental, costing the Rams their 2016 NFL Draft fifth-round selection.
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I'm taking that as great news...
…he must be doing something right
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He must be making positive strides toward being the player the management thinks he can become
He seems to have the physical traits needed to be a dominating tackle in the NFL. If he don’t stray off the reservation, he could be a major find.
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Could this have anyting to do with the expectations of keeping any other O Lineman long term?
I don’t know, maybe, say DL Saffold for instance?

 

[Akrasian]

Good. We knew when he was drafted that he needed time - I expect him to be put on the regular roster sometime around the middle of the season - basically after the next OL injury (and there are ALWAYS OL injuries).

 

[RaminExile]

I too see this as good news. It shows they like him.

 

[Orchid]

Could this have anyting to do with the expectations of keeping any other O Lineman long term?
I don’t know, maybe, say DL Saffold for instance?

Could it be they like him more as a LT than Robinson and will move Robinson back inside next year.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Well, if you've looked around..offensive linemen league wide have struggled...and we just drafted 5....teams are probably drooling to grab one of them....

Battle must be doing something right....Probably one injury away from getting on the 53.....

 

[LesBaker]

Well, if you've looked around..offensive linemen league wide have struggled...and we just drafted 5....teams are probably drooling to grab one of them....

Battle must be doing something right....Probably one injury away from getting on the 53.....

Yup it's been a topic of conversation all around the nation, a lot of teams are struggling on the line.

In the meantime Fisher may have finally built a unit that can stay together for many years.

 

[Yamahopper]

If I was another GM and saw this I'd sign him to my roster like right now. Just to force the rams hand.
But if the Rams really liked him as in future starter he wouldn't be on PS to start with.
Either the kid is going to be a player or the Rams are running a scam.
Call it either way.
18k a week dif. in NFL is lunch money for a team.

 

[Athos]

I wonder if he could become our LT and move Grob inside to destroy guys for Gurley. Seems a sounder strategy if GRob doesn't improve a tackle.

As far as liking him enough to put him on the 53.....

That's hard if hes just not ready for NFL action. You do you risk putting on the PS instead?

That said, I bet they put him on there is someone really does come calling.

 

[VegasRam]

Don't remember where I read it, but someone noted that based on his (regular player) salary, he could not be grabbed from the practice squad. I hope that's correct.

 

[Orchid]

We are currently down one lineman on the 53 man roster. That spot went to Cunningham because of question re Kendrick's finger. When those questions resolve themselves, I would not be surprised to seeBattle moved up and Cunningham moved down.

 

[Loyal]

Not my money..*shrugs

 

[Orchid]

Don't remember where I read it, but someone noted that based on his (regular player) salary, he could not be grabbed from the practice squad. I hope that's correct.

I do not think that is correct. His regular player salary would be the same if claimed by another team or brought up by the Ram's. The more I think about I believe another team wanted to claim him and he declined the offer after getting more money from Ram's and promise for future call-up.

 

[Fatbot]

Don't remember where I read it, but someone noted that based on his (regular player) salary, he could not be grabbed from the practice squad. I hope that's correct.

I do not believe that's correct, I think any team can attempt to sign Battle at any time he's on the practice squad. As far as I know the practice squad world is like the wild west, other teams can poach at any time. Some factors that are at play that prevent widespread poaching are perhaps an unwritten rule (you don't steal our guy without a huge need, we won't steal yours) and negotiation. The player must sign the offer sheet from that other team, it's not an automatic draft. The player can sign the offer sheet without saying anything and go join his new team or inform his current team "hey x team is trying to sign me", and the current team can then promote him on its active roster, or try to convince him to stay -- which is what I think probably happened with Battle, another team came calling and the Rams convinced him he had a future here and sweetened it with cash. I think it shows that the Rams have a great relationship with Battle or he'd be gone.

 

[VegasRam]

I do not think that is correct. His regular player salary would be the same if claimed by another team or brought up by the Ram's. The more I think about I believe another team wanted to claim him and he declined the offer after getting more money from Ram's and promise for future call-up.

Makes sense - probably what I read. I didn't know the player had a say in things..

 

[TheDYVKX]

It's obvious they like him since they did this, but this move to me means another team tried to grab him from our practice squad. So we paid him whatever he'd get there (and maybe more) plus he doesn't have to move him and his family, he gets to stay with his current teammates, a great OL coach in Boudreau, just familiarity everywhere, and I assume we also guaranteed to bring him up from the PS at some point soon, so he has the same chance of one day starting here than anywhere else.

I think this is great for us though. Battle has a ton of talent, maybe he's a starter for us in the future. Can he ay guard? Is he strictly a tackle? Could be an interesting development to watch, this season and in the future.

 

[tahoe]

We are currently down one lineman on the 53 man roster. That spot went to Cunningham because of question re Kendrick's finger. When those questions resolve themselves, I would not be surprised to seeBattle moved up and Cunningham moved down.

Yeah, I fully expect that once Kendricks is ready to go Cunningham will go down and Battle to the roster.

 

[TheDYVKX]

Yeah, I fully expect that once Kendricks is ready to go Cunningham will go down and Battle to the roster.

Apparently Maurice Alexander is back healthy again. Christian Bryant was only signed to be his replacement on STs, could we swap Bryant for Battle soon? Or do we like Bryant enough to keep him on the roster, and do what you said? Or do we keep both Cunningham and Bryant and bring up Battle when/if we put Ogletree on IR (DTR or otherwise).

 

[Prime Time]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/9/5/9168523/nfl-practice-squad-players-eligibility-salary

Everything you need to know about NFL practice squads
By Alexis Chassen  @Lovelybuckeye on Sep 6, 2015

As teams are faced with the final roster, they have to consider which young players they want to invest time in and work to build a 10-man practice squad.

NFL teams used to be allowed only eight players on the practice squad, but the league agreed to allow two more practice squads per team in 2014, upping the groups to 10 players for each team.

While players who are listed on the practice squad still work out and practice with the team, they don't get to play in games or enjoy the financial benefits players on the final roster do. For some, though, this is a good first step toward realizing their NFL dream.

Who's eligible for the practice squad?
Not all players are eligible for a team's practice squad. Eligibility is limited to players who were on an active roster for fewer than six games, or were on the 45-man active gameday roster for fewer than nine games. Plenty of practice squad spots will go to rookies who are still adjusting to the speed and skill of the NFL, but players with limited gameday experience or previous time on the practice squad to start their career are usually eligible, too.

A player is allowed on the practice squad for up to two years, with one year counting as six weeks in a season. A third year on the practice squad is only allowed if the team keeps 53 players on the active-inactive list at all times.

How much money do practice squad players make?
Practice squad players earn paychecks on a weekly basis. They may not be getting the same huge paychecks as players on the 53-man roster, but they aren't exactly earning minimum wage, either.

For the 2015 season, practice squad players can make no less than $6,600 per week. While the minimum salary for a rookie in 2015 is $435,000, a full season on the practice squad would earn a player more than $100,000 for the year. Alternatively, without being contractually obligated, players are released with no financial penalty.

Can practice squad players change teams?
A practice squad player can sign to another team's active roster at any point, but can't leave for another practice squad unless they're released.

The only time practice squad players can't be signed to an active roster is when a team's next opponent is trying to get information from them. Practice squad players are prohibited from signing with the next opposing team on the schedule less than five days before the game, or nine days during a bye week. If a practice squad player is signed to an active roster, they will receive a minimum of three paychecks, even if they're released earlier.

* * *

While players who begin on the practice squad rarely make an impact on their teams that season, there are success stories throughout the NFL of players who began their career as an afterthought.

Among the practice squad alumni in the NFL are Tony Romo, Arian Foster, Jason Peters and James Harrison, four players who have 20 Pro Bowl nods between them.