Packers make three roster moves with future implications

The Green Bay Packers are still in contention for the Super Bowl this year, but the personnel department is already thinking about the future, too. On Tuesday, general manager Brian Gutekunst announced three future signings for the defense.

The team added linebackers Deslin Alexandre, Deandre Johnson, and Christian Young to the reserve/futures list. The players will only count towards the offseason 90-man roster starting alongside the New League Year, on March 13.

Who are they?

The most familiar name for the Packers is Christian Young, because he spent some time of the season on the team's practice squad. He's 6-1, 221 lbs, and spent training camp and preseason with the Seattle Seahawks coming out of University of Arizona as an undrafted player. Young didn't make the 53-man roster, and then had experiences on the Seahawks' and Packers' practice squads throughout the year.

Deslin Alexandre is also a rookie — he didn't accrue a season, so he will be a first-year player next season as well. He's 6-3, 264 lbs. Alexandre went undrafted coming out of Pittsburgh and signed with the New York Jets, where he spent last training camp. After being released, he spent some time this season on the Chicago Bears practice squad.

Deandre Johnson is the most experienced among the three Packers signees. He went undrafted in 2022, and initially signed with the Miami Dolphins. Last year, he played the XFL for the Houston Roughnecks. In college, Johnson spent four years at Tennessee (2017-2020) and one season, the last one (2021), at Miami.

How does it work?

Teams can sign future deals right after the regular season. It's a way to secure bottom-of-the-rooster types to start the season. They have to be street free agent players, and usually they receive no signing bonus. Eliminated teams generally occupy these slots with players from their own practice squads, but playoff teams are also allowed to make moves.