Texans signed several players in mid January
 

I was browsing Rotoworld when I noticed that they reported at least six or seven players were signed to a 2-3 year contract in January.

I don't recall all the names, but I know it includes Keenum, Maehl, Mondek.

Surprisingly, there were also a TE and a LB nobody really heard of.

What does this all mean?

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Just practice squad players.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Nope, PS players earn very little. These guys were signed for 4-5 times the amount.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

You need 80 (or is it 90) players on your training camp roster. These signings occur every year on every team.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

camp fodder

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

At this time?

Like 76, I think it's kinda odd.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

I went to the contract page on Rotoworld, and it specifies that Delano Johnson was signed to a reserve/future contract with no dollar amount specified.

But the others were for 2 years at $900K each.

Pleasant signed in early Jan to a 3-yr contract.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Not at all odd. The Skins did the same thing after their season ended. So did the Giants. Do a google search and I would expect 28 teams to have done the same thing.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

it ain't the total money its the guaranteed money or bonus money that you need to look at...those big numbers are nice to look at but if you don't make the team all you keep is your bonus cash and or guaranteed cash.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

As I understand it, the UDFAs receiving a signing bonus like $10-25 K and a certain amount every week in camp???

Is this the same thing or somewhat different?

About much of this contract is bonus?

Some of these players may receive an offer from another team, correct?

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Yes, they are essentially street free agents, and can sign with any team since they were not on a NFL team at the end of the season. Had they been under contract at the end of the 2012 season, they would have to wait until the free agency period to sign.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

I went to the page for the Broncos, and I saw one with an unspecified reserve/future contract, quite a few with a one-year dollar specified contract, and one with a 2-yr deal.

So it looks like there are differences; I wonder what that might be?

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

All of the players being signed now are being signed to futures contracts. The NFL league year does not begin until March so these non-guaranteed contracts are for the 2013 season. if a player does not make the opening day roster the contract is voided.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...the-money.html

NFL teams are now signing dozens of players to "reserve/future" contracts to round out their 2012 rosters. These deals -- the vast majority of them without signing bonuses and for minimum salaries -- do not technically activate until the 2012 League Year, set to begin on March 13. Thus, the players will be in a reserve category until that time.

Many of these reserve/future signings are players that were on practice squads for the 2011 season and will sign with the team for which they were on the practice squad. Some, though, will jump to another team for a perceived better opportunity.

Like undrafted free agents, teams can uncover some true gems in this category of players. At the Packers, we signed Cullen Jenkins one January as a reserve/future player. Jenkins went on to be a highly productive player for the Packers and now the Eagles

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

[quote=76Texan;2112426]I was browsing Rotoworld when I noticed that they reported at least six or seven players were signed to a 2-3 year contract in January.

I don't recall all the names, but I know it includes Keenum, Maehl, Mondek.

Surprisingly, there were also a TE and a LB nobody really heard of.

What does this all mean?

[/QUOTE http://www.stateofthetexans.com/?p=9921

Here's a link for who they are & their positions. They do all seem to be practice squad players w/ Maehl being the only one who is projected to have a shot at the 53 man roster next season.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

An extra year at the minimum salary.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

I've always known about reserve/future contracts.
I've seen it every year on the HoustonTexans.com website, but they never note any dollar amount.
I don't pay much attention to the business side of football.

I just happen to see different things listed on rotoworld so I'm curious.

So far, I've seen contract with no year or dollar amount, one year contract and two-year contracts, and the dollar amounts are also different.

For example, I get to the Steelers page and they have two different level of money for guys with a 2-yr contract.
They also have guys with 1-yr contract, and guys with nothing specified.

Why the difference is the question I'm asking.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

None is the answer. It doesn't matter if Keenum is signed to a one year or 2 year contract. He has to make the team to earn the contract. If Keenum had signed a one year deal, made the team in 2013, he would be an exclusive free agent in 2014. There's nothing special about any of these signings, other than the attention paid to them in this thread.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

A couple of things...a team can give a signing bonus on these futures contracts. Also, a team can sign a future contract to some player who has conpleted 1 year or so of service time. The minimium salary for a player with service time differs than another.

Overall, i would not spend a ton of energy on this "mystery." most of these guys won't make the opening day squad, and of those who do few will be impactful players.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Obviously, there were nothing special, because when I first noted, all ours guys that were signed to a 2-yr deal have the same dollar amount.

However, they are higher than some of those from the Steelers.

Guys like Keenum are first year players, and theoretically, shouldn't get more.

Those guys whom the Steelers signed have two different structure; one is the same as ours, and the other is less.

That is what make me curious.

Re: Texans signed several players in mid January
 

Yates will be traded and Keenum will become QB 2?