The Los Angeles Rams welcomed Max Pircher to their 90-man roster this summer by way of the NFL’s International Player Development Program as he made his way from Italy to the United States. Teams are permitted to carry an international player on the practice squad without taking up a spot on it, so it’s a win-win situation for both the team and the player.
Pircher is by no means ready to be a starter or even an immediate backup with the Rams, but with a year of learning and practice, he could develop into someone who sticks in the NFL. If the Rams do feel he’s capable of contributing, they will now have added roster flexibility.
The league announced Thursday that teams will be permitted to sign or elevate players from the IPDP to the active roster so long as the international exemption has been removed.
Previously, he was ineligible to be activated to the 53-man roster this season.
Here’s the full memo, which says International Players are eligible to be signed or elevated as long as their exemption is removed and they’ve counted on the practice squad for at least three games. Once the exemption is removed, the team can’t get it back this season. pic.twitter.com/LNUFLXdpec
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 12, 2021
Pircher still has a lot to learn, but according to Rob Havenstein, he’s improved by leaps and bounds compared to where he was at in OTAs. Havenstein has become a mentor to Pircher and loves that the NFL has the international program to help these players develop.
“He asks a lot of questions. That’s a good thing,” Havenstein said this week. “It’s a really cool program with him having so little football experience. He’s obviously behind the eight ball a little bit when it comes to the NFL, but he’s a guy who wants to learn, he asks questions and there are no dumb questions out there so whatever he asks, I’ll answer and give him my two cents. Or if I feel like I can’t answer it in a certain way, I can always send him to the godfather in ‘Whit’, so ‘Whit’ will impart some wisdom on him. But Max is an awesome dude. It’s a really cool thing. He’s making leaps and bounds since OTAs, just seeing the way he’s moving his body as an O-lineman, it’s been fun to watch. He’s a good kid.”
It’s unlikely the Rams will activate Pircher this year, but at least now they have the flexibility to do so if needed.