Jun 4, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Clayton Isbell (35) and linebacker Jackson Mitchell (49) during OTAs. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Raiders Make Roster Move For Future

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael France | Last updated Jan 14, 2025 8:05 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders, despite lacking a general manager and head coach, are still making some moves to the roster.

They signed linebacker Jackson Mitchell to a futures/reserve contract this week, the team announced. Mitchell was originally claimed by the Raiders via waivers last August when he was released by the Carolina Panthers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Connecticut.

He led the Huskies in tackles as a senior with 113, which was 19th in college football in 2023. He finished his career third all-time in tackles with 438 total stops across four years.

Below is an explanation of a futures/reserve contract, as defined by Pro Football Network's Ben Rolfe:

"It is a contract that secures an NFL player to a team for the future. The reason it is designated as a 'futures contract' is that the player is not officially under contract until the start of the following league season.

The reason that differentiation is important is that the player’s contract does not count against the salary cap or the roster limit for the current season. Instead, it is credited against the following year’s salary cap, and the player counts against the offseason 90-man roster limit.

However, it is crucial to note that once a player signs a futures contract, they are placed on a reserve/futures list and cannot negotiate with other teams. Unlike with practice squads, teams cannot sign other teams’ players with a futures contract. That means NFL general managers and coaches can be confident in having the bottom part of their roster settled for OTAs and training camp.

Unlike practice-squad contracts, futures contracts do not have a differing value from a standard NFL contract. A player signing a futures contract will often be signed to a minimum value contract for their level of NFL experience. The deals usually do not contain much, if any, signing bonus. However, if there is a player that is being coveted by a couple of NFL teams, they could get themselves a bigger contract than the usual minimum-level deals."

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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