On Monday, the Cleveland Browns signed the following eight players to reserve/future contracts: WR J’Mon Moore, G Malcolm Pridgeon, G Willie Wright, DT Brandin Bryant, DE Trevon Young, LB Jermaine Grace, LB Montrel Meander, CB Donnie Lewis Jr.
What are “reserve/future” contracts? Anyone who was signed to an NFL active roster cannot enter free agency until March. Anyone who was already a free agent or on a practice squad, though, stay/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 a formality that has to be done to keep your practice squad in tact.
The only player on the practice squad who was not signed to a reserve/future contract was WR Shelton Gibson. Lewis was a 7th round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Bryant played four games for Cleveland near the end of the regular season as a reserve defensive lineman.