Seahawks sign 9 members of their practice squad to future contracts

With the Seattle Seahawks’ season having come to a close, the team can now start signing players to future contracts. In short, a future contract is how a team can claim (or retain) a player’s rights in the time between the end of the season and the beginning of the new league year. Once the new league year begins in March, their salary and roster spot will count towards Seattle’s 90-man roster and salary cap. Until then, the Seahawks simply have their rights. (You can find a great, extended primer on future contracts here.)

The nine players Seattle signed to future contracts on Tuesday were nine of the 10 players who finished the season on the team’s practice squad: Keenan Reynolds (WR), Caleb Scott (WR), Simeon Thomas (CB), Marcus Henry (iOL), Marwin Evans (S), Tyrone Swoopes (TE), Justin Currie (LB), Jeremy Boykins (CB) and Jordan Roos (iOL).

The one player who finished the season on the Seahawks’ practice squad and did not sign a future contract was quarterback Alex McGough. Seattle’s seventh round selection a year ago, McGough competed with Austin Davis for the backup quarterback job in August—a competition that ended when the Seahawks acquired Brett Hundley. McGough is now a free agent, though he could still sign a future contract with Seattle.

As noted by The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, among others, McGough may look to sign with a team in one of the upstart football leagues, in an effort to gain live game experience. Since these leagues won’t run concurrently with the NFL, McGough could theoretically play football in the spring before landing in camp with the Seahawks (or any other NFL team).