After a month of roster evaluation and preparation, the NFL season is upon us. It’s been over half a year since we last saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a major football game, but we’ve spent the last few weeks sorting things out and making sure the right pieces are on the board.

This doesn’t just apply to the 53-man squad. While thousands of players have been released in recent days, many have found their way back to their respective teams in the practice squad, which is an underrated part of the weekly preparation.

Last year, the Bucs had guys like Jose Ramirez, JJ Russell and Keenan Isaac on the practice squad – two of whom made the 53-man roster this year and the other was poached by the Panthers. There’s no shame in being called up to the practice squad, and the love the Bucs coaches have for the guys they signed this year has been evident all season.

One name that stands out as an unknown is Michael Pratt, who will enter the season as Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback. He also comes in as someone who can bubble under the surface of the roster as a developmental player, something the Bucs had in mind as early as April.

Pratt was on the Bucs’ radar heading into the NFL Draft, but the Green Bay Packers grabbed him first. He was part of the Green Bay Packers’ roster cuts, but surprisingly was not re-signed to the practice squad, giving Tampa Bay the opportunity to finally get their man.

How he develops is the next step, but he has already replaced one quarterback – John Wolford – and could do the same with Kyle Trask. Time will tell, but with Trask set to be a free agent at the end of the season, Pratt has a chance to develop this year and compete for the QB2 role next year.

Another notable name is Cody Thompson, who was a fan favorite in training camp and just missed making the final roster. Last year, Isaac and Russell were promoted from the practice squad and competed, which could be the case for Thompson this year as well. He has proven himself in the preseason and doesn’t seem far away from playing on Sundays.

What rules and regulations apply to the NFL practice squad?

Each team can have 16 players on its practice squad, with an additional spot reserved for an international exemption. For the Bucs, that player is Lorenz Metz, who is on the practice squad but does not count toward the total. This means that the Bucs will be able to

Practice squads can include up to six veterans (two experienced veterans, i.e. players with at least two seasons of experience).

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