Before the 2014 NFL season, the commissioner’s exempt list was a seldom-used tool in the league for players facing unusual circumstances. It was a list where the NFL could find a temporary spot for a player while not counting him against a team’s active 53-man roster.
Michael Vick finished his suspension while on the list in 2009 before joining the Eagles in the regular season. Jonathan Vilma was on it in 2012 after finishing his Bountygate sentence. Jeff Demps, the former Bucs running back, was on the list the following year while he was pursuing his track dreams.