Seahawks sign nine to futures contracts

Now that their season is over and they can expand their roster, the Seahawks have signed everyone off of their practice squad to futures contracts.

On Wednesday, the Seahawks signed CB Akeem Auguste, WR Phil Bates, DT Michael Brooks, DT Dewayne Cherrington, WR Arceto Clark, TE Cooper Helfet, DT D’Anthony Smith and G Jared Smith, who had been on injured reserve. On Thursday the Seahawks completed the process of retaining their practice squad players, signing quarterback B.J. Daniels, who spent part of the season on the active roster before being released and added to the practice squad.

While you’d be wise to not get overexcited about futures contract signees, it’s not unheard of for players you don’t know much about in January to blossom the following season. In 2011, the Seahawks signed both Paul McQuistan and Brandon Browner to futures contracts, and both eventually went on to earn starting jobs. Though in yet another reflection of the depth the Seahawks have built over the past four seasons, they’re not longer signing players off of other team’s practice squads—or in the case of Browner, out of Canada—but rather retaining their own practice squad.

A number of players on Seattle’s Super Bowl roster came up through Seattle’s practice squad over the past two years, including receiver Jermaine Kearse, who scored a touchdown in the and had 65 receiving yards in the game, safety DeShawn Shead, receiver Ricardo Lockette, fullback Derrick Coleman and receiver Bryan Walters.

Of this year’s current group, one name to perhaps keep an eye on is Auguste, a player who has become something of a practice standout who was mentioned by name by coaches and teammates several times late this season when talking about practice.

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