When the season is over, teams take some time to sign their practice squad players to what is called a futures contract. That is essentially keeping them under contract for the offseason so they can help them develop and go through the offseason program and training camp.
Most players from a team’s practice squad will end up signing one of these at the end of the season, but some choose to wait it out and see what other opportunities exist elsewhere.
On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings inked six players to futures contracts with five of them coming from the practice squad and the other coming from injured reserve.