International Player Pathway program (IPP) is the program that allows all 32 teams to have one roster exemption for a player, so they can have an extra international player on the roster for training camp and on the practice squad roster.

Packers used the IPP exemption spot last year on Australia's K Alex Hale.


But there has been recently a growing debate for Packers fans, on weather or not the IPP exemption can be used on another player. The player in question is Canada's UDFA rookie QB Taylor Elgersma, who supposedly has a canon for an arm.


It seems that many of the more less-official Packers website articles places are writing articles that are saying it's an extremely smart move because the Packers CAN use the IPP roster spot on him. BUT they seem to be wrong.


Why?

https://www.nfl.com/news/what-is-the-international-player-pathway

International Player Pathway Program explained:

What Qualifies as an International Player:

A qualifying international player is a person whose citizenship and principal place of residence are outside the United States and Canada, and who have a maximum of two years of United States high school experience. In addition, an international player must (i) satisfy all NFL player eligibility rules and (ii) have been eligible for a prior NFL Draft.


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Therefore, United States Americans and Canadian don't qualify for the international spots (I assume because they have clear availability to young leagues, unlike most international areas).

So I do NOT believe Taylor Elgersma qualifies, as being eligible for this. Just trying to get ahead of the confusion.


Of course, the NFL could always change the rules, as they did in 2024, to allow ST specialist to be eligible for the IPP pathway program with opened up the spot for K Alex Hale, which the Packers have been using, but to my knowledge, there have been no updates on that matter yet.