Bears sign 11 to Reserve/Future contracts

On Tuesday the Chicago Bears signed 11 players to Reserve/Future contracts, and you’ll recognize all 11 of them as they each spent some time on the Bears’ practice squad during the 2021 season.

Offense

Isaiah Coulter, WR

Nsimba Webster, WR

Dieter Eiselen, OL

Tyrone Wheatley Jr., OL

Ryan Willis, QB

Defense

Auzoyah Alufohai, DL

LaCale London, DL

Michael Joseph, DB

BoPete Keyes, CB

Ledarius Mack, OLB

Charles Snowden, OLB

A Reserve/Future contract means the contract technically doesn’t count towards a team’s 53-man roster, which is still the total number of players a team can have under contract, until the 2021 league year ends. One the new league year opens for business (March 16, 2022) then teams can construct a 90-man offseason roster, and then all the Reserve/Future contracted players count towards a team’s roster.

While these players are all usually younger, there’s nothing stopping a team from adding a vested veteran on a Reserve/Future deal. The only requirement to be signed to one of these contracts is to be unsigned.

Once the Bears hire a general manager and head coach those two may have a different type of player in mind, so don’t be surprised if there’s some bottom of the roster movement.