Ben Braunecker has spent two seasons on the active roster. Can the Chicago Bears try to get him onto the practice squad one more time?
2016 was the preseason hype of Ben Braunecker followed by a strong end to his season. However, it is tough to say that he progressed in 2017, as he hardly played even with a Zach Miller injury.
Still, Ben Braunecker has been active for most of the past two seasons. He has provided special teams value and has stayed on the active roster for 21 games over the first two seasons.
However, the team signed Trey Burton this summer. They drafted Adam Shaheen last season and signed Dion Sims in that same offseason. On top of that Daniel Brown would be a strong Burton back up. It would be tough to argue for any team to keep more than four tight ends, so as the roster stands today Ben Braunecker would have low odds of making the 53-man.
Still, the team would probably like to keep him around. He has built up a report, he has special teams value, and we all know the Chicago Bears have not been the healthiest team. For the third season, can the team start Braunecker on the practice squad?
According to the new CBA, yes. In the old days, he would have been ineligible after his first season. He likely would not even be on the Bears today.
However, new rules state that a player with two seasons of accrued playing time (six games in a season) can be one of four exceptions to a teams practice squad.
This is only going to apply to so many players making it hard to assume that Braunecker will not start another season on the Chicago Bears practice squad.
However, new rules state that a player with two seasons of accrued playing time (six games in a season) can be one of four exceptions to a teams practice squad.
To me this is an important rule to know and understand not just as it applies to Braunecker but to others as well. Of course the player must still clear waivers before he can be placed on the PS but with team now able to carry their entire 90 man roster until one final cut down to 53 players it does improve each teams chances of stashing more talented players on the PS.
So just an FYI as it applies to players we can't keep on the 53 man roster but would still like to keep around as depth.