Quick Read: What is a Futures Contract?
Information pulled from: Behind the Steel Curtain, Gang Green Nation, Titan’s Wire, NFL Operations, and Aaron Wilsons X account (@AaronWilsonNFL).
Today the Lions signed Thomas Gordon to a futures contract. Thomas Gordon is a primarily blocking TE with a lower end athletic profile (in relation to the rest of the NFL), who had a bit of production catching in College. He spent 2025 on the Chicago Bears practice squad. So what is this type contract?
This is how I understand it. The futures contract exists for players who are unrestricted free agents, unsigned rookies, and players who ended the 2025 season on a practice squad. The contracts can be signed with any team The contracts can be signed after week 18 of the NFL season, but do not take effect until the beginning of the new league year (March 11, 4pm). This contract is not guaranteed. It can be for any amount, though it is generally for the minimum allowed salary for the player, in 2025 those amounts were as follows:
0 Seasons (Rookie): $840,000
1 Season: $960,000
2 Seasons: $1,030,000
3 Seasons:
$1,100,0004-6 Seasons: $1,170,000
7+ Seasons: $1,255,000
So there you have it. The futures contract acts as a placeholder until the new league year when the player can be signed accordingly.