Amid Belichick uncertainty, Patriots offseason begins with business as usual
Externally, the New England Patriots’ 2024 offseason feels like it’s in a holding pattern until a decision is made on the future of head coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick. After a season filled with speculation that Belichick’s job could be in jeopardy, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach reportedly met with Patriots ownership on Monday to discuss the future direction of the team – with his own fate in New England potentially included in that discussion.
Yet while all that’s going on business seems to be moving on as usual inside One Patriots Place. On Monday the team made what is almost always one of if not its first move of the offseason – signing practice squad players to future contracts.
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In total the Patriots signed seven of their practice squad players to future contracts. That group includes…
–RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
–WR T.J. Luther (whose signing was reported earlier in the day)
–OT Andrew Stueber
–DL Trysten Hill
–DL William Bradley-King
–LB Joe Giles-Harris
–DB Azizi Hearn
Four practice squad players did not get a future contract on Monday – tight end Matt Sokol, offensive lineman Kody Russey, and defensive backs William Hooper and Breon Borders. They still could be signed to future contracts at a later date.
Again, signing practice squad players to future contracts is generally one of the first steps of the offseason for the Patriots. Last year they announced the signings the Tuesday after their final game.
![Belichick](https://985thesportshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2024/01/GettyImages-1915700061.jpg)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 07: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks during a press conference after a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
It’s not just common for the Patriots, but teams around the league. For instance, the Panthers and Raiders both signed players to futures deals on Monday despite not currently employing a head coach or GM.
Future contracts are a mechanic that allows teams to retain practice squad players at the end of a season without having to make any further roster moves. Unlike players on the active roster with expiring contracts, who don’t become free agents until the new league year in March, practice squad players are free to sign with any team as soon as their team’s season ends.
At the same time, the roster limit doesn’t increase from 53 to 90 players until the new league year in March, so if teams wanted to ensure they held on to practice squad players they’d basically have to clear a roster spot. Future contracts allow more flexibility to keep practice squad players around. Generally near-minimum deals with little to no guaranteed money, these contracts don’t become official until the rosters expand in March. Only players not on an active roster or a reserve list at the end of the season are eligible to sign future contracts.
As for the Patriots’ pending free agents on the active roster, the team can exclusively talk to them about contract extensions until the legal tampering period opens on March 11. Here’s a look at the 24 players whose contracts are up this year…