The idea isn’t revolutionary, though it’s unique to professional football today.

The XFL has established “Team 9” for the benefit of the rest of the eight-team league … and for 40 players still chasing their football dreams.

Team 9 is essentially an extra squad stocked with players available to fill open roster spots on any team in the league at any time. Say the St. Louis BattleHawks lose a safety in Week 2, they can “call up” a football-ready replacement in time to face the New York Guardians in Week 3.

“In every football league, there is constant churn,” XFL CEO and Commissioner Oliver Luck said. “I’m sure every one of these rosters is going to change by the time Week 1 rolls around. They’ll bring in new guys or someone pulls a hamstring, it’s just inevitable.

“So Team 9 will be ready to roll as a replacement team that’s got to be constantly replenished, so all these guys that got the bad news about getting cut, a bunch of them of them are going to be back in the league through Team 9.”

XFL director of scouting Eric Galko is overseeing Team 9, which is based in Arlington, Texas, and will practice at Globe Life Park, home of the Dallas Renegades. While Team 9 will share some resources with the Renegades, such as training and medical services, it will largely function as a separate entity.