Detroit Lions sign 10 players to futures deal for 2023

Life in the NFL moves fast. So while the Detroit Lions are less than 24 hours from their dramatic win over the Green Bay Packers in the regular season finale, they’re already starting to make roster moves for next season. On Monday afternoon, the team announced that they’ve signed 10 players to futures deals.

Once the season ends for a team, every player that was on the practice squad sees their contract expire. So it is typical on the following day for teams to sign some of those players to what is called a “futures deal”—or a one-year contract near the league minimum. Indeed, all 10 of these signings came from the Lions’ own practice squad. Here’s a look at the players who have been re-upped for 2023.

• RB Jermar Jefferson
• WR Maurice Alexander
• WR Stanley Berryhill
• WR Tom Kennedy
• OT Obinna Eze
• OT Darri Paulo
• DT Demetrius Taylor
• CB Jarren Williams
• CB Khalil Dorsey
• S Brady Breeze

Of the player brought back, Kennedy and Taylor spent time on the active roster, while Jefferson (1) Alexander (2), Berryhill (3), Williams (2), and Breeze (2) were all elevated to the game day roster at different points in the season. Paulo is a veteran offensive lineman who has been off and on the roster for the last two seasons, while Eze was a high-profile rookie UDFA with upside.

Perhaps more notable are the Lions' practice squad players who did NOT received a futures contract yet. Those players include QB Steven Montez, TE Garrett Griffin, WR Brandon Zylstra, OT Jarrid Williams, LB Julian Stanford, CB AJ Parker, and K Sam Ficken. Of course, it’s not uncommon for teams to add more future players to their roster over several days, so by no means is this list finalized.