Four international players added to rosters ahead of 2020 season

[April 28, 2020]    (Reuters) - The NFL said on Monday that each of the four teams in the NFC East division will carry an additional overseas player on their practice squads in 2020 as part of the league's development program.

General overall view of the NFL shield logo at midfield during an NFL International Series game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As part of the program, Mexico's Isaac Alarcon has been assigned to the Dallas Cowboys, Germany's David Bada to the Washington Redskins, Australia's Matt Leo to the Philadelphia Eagles and Austria's Sandro Platzgummer to the New York Giants.

The NFL said in a statement the NFC East was chosen to receive these players in a random draw and the four clubs will carry the overseas players on their roster until the end of training camp.

At that time, the players are eligible for an international player practice squad exemption, granting the team an extra practice squad member who is ineligible to be activated during the 2020 season.

Three players that took part in the program last year will return to their AFC East teams for the upcoming season.

The International Player Pathway Program was instituted in 2017 and aims to provide international athletes with the opportunity to compete at the NFL level.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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