On this site, we talk a lot about the practice squad, particularly with the level of injuries that the Minnesota Vikings have suffered this year and the success of some of their players that have spent time on the practice squad in the past. But how much do we really know about the 10-man practice squad?
Well, the folks at WCCO in Minneapolis have put together a pretty cool video look at the practice squad, particularly what it's like to be spending time in "football purgatory." The video focuses on a few players, notably:
- Defensive tackle Toby Johnson (who gets most of the screen time)
- Wide receiver Isaac Fruechte (who has spent time on two different practice squads this season)
- Guard Isame Faciane (who may or may not be long for the practice squad after last week's events)
- Cornerback Julian Wilson (who is no longer on the practice squad, as he was released to make room for Fruechte between the time his interview was shot and the time it went to air)
There's also a brief interview with receiver Adam Thielen, who has climbed from the practice squad ranks to become a significant part of the team.
The video goes into some of the aspects of practice squad life that we probably don't think about. . .like where practice squad players live, what sort of cars they drive, and their drive to make it to the big club.
It's a seven-minute long video, but it's a pretty interesting look at something we don't think a whole lot about, in my opinion.