Eagles make Kyle Lauletta one of the NFL’s highest paid practice squad players

The minimum amount of money NFL practice squad players earn per week is $8,000, which comes out to $136,000 over the course of the league’s 17-week regular season schedule. Not bad work if you can get it, right?

Some practice squad players earn much more than the minimum. The Philadelphia Eagles, for example, are paying at least four of their practice squad players more than $8,000 per week. In fact, the Eagles are currently employing one of the highest paid practice squad players in the entire league.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero included new Eagles quarterback Kyle Lauletta in a list of the best practice squad salaries he’s heard about:

Ravens CB Maurice Canaday $26,000
Eagles QB Kyle Lauletta $20,000
Texans QB Alex McGough $20,000
Broncos QB Brett Rypien $20,000
Dolphins QB Jake Rudock $20,000
Colts OL Jackson Barton $20,000

This tells us the Eagles clearly have more than just casual interest in Lauletta. That makes sense since Josh McCown, 40, will probably retire after this year and Nate Sudfeld could potentially leave in free agency. Even if Sudfeld is back, the Eagles could have him and Lauletta compete for a backup spot behind Carson Wentz.

Here’s a look at the weekly earnings for current edition of the Eagles’ 2019 practice squad, with a hat tip to Sam Lynch:

QB Kyle Lauletta - $20,000
OG Sua Opeta - $20,000
RB Boston Scott - $15,000
WR Greg Ward - $10,000
LB Alex Singleton - $8,000
TE Joshua Perkins - $8,000
WR Marcus Green - $8,000
DT Bruce Hector - $8,000
CB Craig James - $8,000

Some thoughts:

• Jeff Stoutland seems to like Opeta as a developmental project. The 2019 undrafted rookie free agent could push for a roster spot next season.
• Scott and Ward could get called up to the roster if there are injuries at their positions. Both guys could also get another shot to make the team next year.
• Little interesting to see Singleton only got the minimum. There was thought the Eagles would have to pay him extra so he wouldn’t just go back to the CFL.
• Perkins went from being on the roster last year to only making the practice squad minimum in 2019.

Here’s a look at what former Eagles players are making on their new teams’ practice squads:

Jets RB Josh Adams - $25,000
Raiders DT Anthony Rush - $17,000
Cowboys QB Clayton Thorson - $8,000
Browns WR Shelton Gibson - $8,000
Washington S Jeremy Reaves - $8,000

Some thoughts:

• Joe Douglas clearly likes Adams; the Jets made the Eagles’ 2018 leading rusher one of the league’s most highly paid practice squad players.
• The Eagles cut Rush, a 2019 undrafted rookie free agent signing, to make room for Orlando Scandrick on their 90-man roster. Rush got picked up by Oakland and actually came close to making the roster. He did well to at least earn an elevated practice squad salary.
• When asked why the Eagles went with Lauletta over Thorson for their practice squad, Doug Pederson talked about “not being able to get [Thorson] back.” That notion seemed like BS at the time and sure enough it was. Unless, that is, you really believe Thorson was willing to take the minimum with the Cowboys but not the Eagles. It’s clear Philly preferred Lauletta to Thorson, as they should’ve.