NFL rosters are limited to 53 players. Some teams have perfected what’s known in league circles as the 54-man roster trick.
Here’s how it works. A team releases a vested veteran late in a given week, after he has earned his game check. The team then typically elevates a young player from the practice squad to fill a position of need for the game. Then, after the game, the young player is cut, the young player clears waivers, the young player returns to the practice squad, and the vested veteran returns.
It works because, first, the vested veteran isn’t subject to waivers and, second, the player signed from the practice squad likely will clear waivers because he already was available to be signed by any other team’s active roster in the first place.
The Bears apparently used the 54-man roster trick this week by releasing linebacker Sam Acho on Saturday, and then by bringing him back on Monday. The twist in Acho’s case came from the non-football illness designation accompanying his release, which may have scared off other teams (like the linebacker-needy Ravens) from trying to sign him. Whatever the illness was, it didn’t keep the Bears from signing Acho again.
The 54-man roster trick works through the trade deadline. After that, vested veterans who are released must pass through waivers.
The only flaw is that the vested veteran who is released can sign with another team. Which often results in enough winking and nodding to persuade the player, who gets a game check for the week when he was cut, to return to the team for another game check -- even if it means being cut again. And again. And again.
