ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --For a club with a roster as deep as the Broncos' appears to be, the expansion of the practice squad by two players is heaven-sent.

As significant as the addition of two spots are the tweaked rules for practice-squad eligibility.

Players are still no longer allowed more than three seasons on the practice squad. But now, a player must spend at least six games on a practice squad to burn up one of their seasons -- up from three games.

Teams can also sign up to two players who have two accrued seasons or fewer. This exception only applies to these two players; for the rest, practice-squad eligibility only remains for those who have been on a gameday active 46-man roster fewer than nine games.

Under this exception, dozens of players league-wide will now be eligible for practice squads.

The importance of the practice squad toward roster construction is obvious for the Broncos. Four players from the practice squad since 2010 would eventually start for the Broncos, and Brandon Marshall appears poised to make it five after spending all but one week of the 2013 regular season on the practice squad.