According to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, the Cleveland Browns have signed the following eight players to reserve/future contracts: RB Armond Smith, WR Owen Spencer, OL Dominic Alford, OL Stanley Daniels, OL Jarrod Shaw, LB Craig Robertson, DB David Sims, and K Jeff Wolfert.

Several of those names should sound familiar. Smith spent some time on the team's active roster before being replaced by former Texans running back Chris Ogbonnaya. Smith finished the year on the Browns' practice squad, as did Alford, Robertson, Shaw, Sims, and Spencer. Wolfert was with the team in the preseason but was not on anyone's practice squad this season. Daniels has previously spent some time with the Broncos.

What are "reserve/future" contracts? Anyone who was signed to an NFL active roster cannot enter free agency until March. Anyone who was on a practice squad though became free agents at the conclusion of the regular season. Therefore, the Browns basically "re-signed" the players they are interested in having another look at during the offseason programs or in training camp next season. In other words, it's really just a formality that has to be done to keep your practice squad in tact.