The Detroit Lions are starting to build their 90-roster for the offseason by keeping some homegrown talent in Allen Park.
The Detroit Lions announced on Monday afternoon that they have made 12 roster transactions, signing 11 players to futures contracts as well as defensive back Morice Norris to the active roster.
Norris, an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State in 2024, was released from the Lions roster during training camp after a hamstring injury cut his pre-season short. He was given an injury settlement, rehabilitated in the Detroit area, and rejoined the Lions’ practice squad when he became eligible.
As the Lions roster continued to deplete due to injury, Norris was eventually signed to the active roster late in the season, seeing game action in Weeks 17, 18, and in the Divisional round of the playoffs—where he filled in for Ifeatu Melifonwu, who left the game early due to injury.
Norris was not eligible for a futures deal because he ended the season on the active roster, but he was scheduled to have an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) designation, meaning he joins the Lions active roster immediately.
As for the 11 players signed to futures contracts, they all finished the season on the Lions practice squad, and many were with the team for the entire season. Here’s a look at who was signed:
- QB Jake Fromm
- WR Tom Kennedy
- OT Jamarco Jones
- IOL Kingsley Eguakun
- DT Chris Smith
- EDGE Isaac Ukwu
- LB Abraham Beauplan
- LB DaRon Gilbert
- CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- S Loren Strickland
- S Erick Hallett
A futures contract is only eligible to street free agents (SFA)—players not signed to a team’s active roster—and it is a way to delay a player’s cap hit until the 2025 NFL new year begins.
For example, if all 11 players with futures contracts were given only a base minimum deal (estimated to be around $840,000), that would equate to a $9.24 million cap hit. However, because of how “futures” contracts work, that cap hit will be delayed until the start of the new season, which coincides with free agency on March 12, 2025. Meaning, that these contracts won’t impact the 2024 salary cap, as well as other end-of-year bookkeeping, like “rollover cap” amounts.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that there were five players who ended the season on the Lions practice squad bt did not receive a futures contract on Monday. Oftentimes additional moves are made in the coming days, so any of the played listed below could still rejoin the Lions, but for now, they are street free agents who are free to sign with another team.
- RB Jermar Jefferson
- WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
- Wr Maurice Alexander
- TE James Mitchell
- LB Kwon Alexander
