» How many players are "active" for a game?

Justice Hog

Okay, a team has a final roster of 53, correct?

Now, even if people make the final roster of 53, I keep hearing about how certain players are listed as "inactive" for a given week. This week, for example, it was D Mac.

Why does a team have to keep certain players on their 53 man roster "inactive". Are they only allowed to field "so many players" at a given game?

How irked would you be if you made the final squad....only to be declared inactive for every game?!?!

Someone, please, enlighten me.

JansenFan · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:56 am Post subject:

I believe they can only have 46 players active for any given game. I'll see if I can verify that. I also noticed Rock Cartwright in street clothes.

1niksder · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:59 pm Post subject:

Best I can tell you can have 45 players active and a 3rd QB each week, however the the third QB can only enter the game as the QB after the #1 and #2 QBs have been benched/injured (This year Pitt is only carrying 2 QB and list Randle-El as the 3rd QB I think he can play as a receiver during the game but I'm not sure on that)
Unlike the practice squad a player can be inactive most of the year and then activated without the team releasing a player to make room for him the roster (he's already on the 53 man roster) but to move a player from the practice squad to the active roster the team would have to cut a player to make room for him. Tenure in the league doesn't come into play with the inactive list like it does for the practice squad.
The following player were on the inactive list for the Bus game..DB Ryan Clark, FB Rock Cartwright, LB Michael Barrow, OL Mark Wilson, TE Brian Kozlowski, WR Darnerien McCants and DL lineman Demetric Evans....Tim Hasselbeck was the 3rd QB.