Every January, every franchise in the National Football League begins to put together a string of signings under the banner of reserve/futures deals. It’s a way for teams to secure players immediately after the season who they believe will be able to impact their short-term future.
Futures contracts work like any other contract in the NFL. Teams can extend any amount of money or time commitment to any player not currently on an active roster as of Week 17. That includes any player on a practice squad or unrestricted free agent. The only catch for a futures deal is that it doesn’t count against the salary cap or roster limit cap until the new league year (which comes every March).