Part 4/8:

Once contracted, the journey becomes a grueling sequence of evaluations. The rookie period starts with Organized Team Activities (OTAs), followed by training camp, and ultimately, preseason. Only after navigating through these stages does the player finally make the roster, which at that time is composed of about 90 individuals, all vying for limited spots. The roster will ultimately be trimmed down to 53 players—a process fraught with unpredictability.