NFL training camps are here, giving teams the opportunity to prepare for the 2023 campaign and players the chance to fight for roster spots. But how are players paid during training camps and the NFL preseason? Let’s dive into how much NFL players will earn over the next month or so before the regular season gets underway.
NFL Training Camp Salaries Explored
As is the case with most technical questions about NFL salaries, the answer to whether NFL players are paid during preseason activities is spelled out in the league’s most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was ratified in 2020.
According to Article 23 of the CBA, veteran players are entitled to per diem payments beginning on the first day of training camp and ending on the final day of training camp. In this case, a veteran is defined as a player with at least one season of credited service.
During the 2023 and 2024 league years, veteran players will earn $3,200 per week during training camp. That figure will increase to $3,500 per week during the 2025 and 2026 league years.
Meanwhile, first-year NFL players will receive a weekly rate of $1,850 in 2023 and 2024. That will jump to $2,000 per week in 2025 and 2026.
The CBA also mandates that every NFL player receive room and board during training camp. Additionally, “players who have not yet established residence in the team city” must receive housing between training camp and the Tuesday before their team’s first regular-season game.
How Many Preseason Games Are There?
In 2021, the NFL enacted a rule change that expanded the regular season from 16 to 17 games and reduced the preseason from four to three games. With each team playing in three preseason contests, there will be 48 total preseason games on the 2023 slate.
Additionally, during the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s induction weekend, the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns will face off in the annual Hall of Fame Game held in Canton, Ohio.
How Much Do Practice Squad Players Get Paid?
Each NFL team is allowed to roster a practice squad — a group of players that isn’t on the active roster but can participate and practice and be elevated on game days. Practice squad size has continuously grown in recent years. In 2023, each club can have up to 16 players on its practice squad.
While NFL practice squad players don’t earn as much as those on 53-man rosters, they still do pretty well. Any player with two or fewer years of accrued seasons will earn $12,000 each week they’re on a practice squad. Meanwhile, players with more than two accrued seasons will collect at least $16,100 but not more than $20,600 per week.
