The Seahawks signed seven players to futures contracts today, effectively 'retaining' several of their practice squad players and signing a few more for the offseason - DE Pierre Allen, LB/RB Allen Bradford, CB Coye Francies, DE John Graves, DB Jesse Hoffman, TE John Nalbone and OG Brent Osborne. Several of these players were on the Seahawks' regular season practice squad as the year ended, including Allen, Bradford, Francies, Graves, Nalbone, and Osborne, but Jesse Hoffman was added as a street free agent after spending training camp with the .
The players will now be able to take part in the team's offseason activties, OTAs, lifting, and training camp. Brandon Browner was a notable player that was signed as a Seattle futures' contract last season out of the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, and after a baptism by fire in the early season, he emerged as a first-alternate for the Pro Bowl. I'm not saying that any of these players will have that kind of success - it's definitely possible - but the way that Pete Carroll and Co. preach competition I wouldn't be overly surprised to see one or several of these players on the active roster come next season.
For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head over to Field Gulls, where I've broken down each of these futures players in more detail.