Patriots Sign 11 Players To Futures Contracts

Each player finished the season on New England’s practice squad, with five having made in-game appearances for the club.

FOXBORO — With the 2022 NFL Season now a part of the New England Patriots’ past, the team has already turned a sharp eye toward the future, specifically 2023.

New England reached agreement on futures contracts with linebacker Terez Hall, defensive back Brad Hawkins, offensive lineman Hayden Howerton, cornerback Quandre Mosely, linebacker Calvin Munson, wide receiver Tre Nixon, running back J.J. Taylor, tight ends Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington and defenisve linemen Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and LaBryan Ray.

All of those players finished the season on the New England practice squad, with five players making in-game appearances. 

What is a futures contract?

A futures contract may be offered to a player who did not finish the regular season on an active NFL roster. The contracts go into effect on the first day of the new league year, when rosters expand to a 90-man limit. 

J.J. Taylor

Since joining the Pats in 2020 as an undrafted rookie out of Arizona, Taylor has appeared in 12 career games for New England 156 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 52 carries. Taylor was a quite effective between-the-tackles runner for the Patriots, and also contributed as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Taylor is also capable of making things happen on early downs. When he is at his best, the former Arizona Wildcat has the shiftiness and the skill set to be a solid ‘change-of-pace’ back.

Terez Hall

Hall signed with the Pats scout team, following the Indianapolis Colts signing linebacker Cameron McGrone. The 26-year-old originally joined the Patriots practice squad as a rookie free agent in 2019 out of Missouri. He signed with the active roster in November 2020, playing in eight games with four starts and totaled 50 tackles and two passes defensed. Hall spent the 2021 season on the Reserve/PUP List.

Brad Hawkins

The 24-year-old originally signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in May. The 6-1, 221 pound safety had his most productive collegiate season in 2021, compiling 60 total tackles and two forced fumbles. He signed with the Patriots in early August primarily as a practice player. Hawkins took notable snaps during the Patriots three preseason matchups. 

Hayden Howerton

Howerton joined the Patriots’ practice squad in early November, where he resided for the remainder of the season. The 6-3, 300-pound interior lineman from Southern Methodist spent the preseason with the Tennessee Titans, before waived at the league’s 53-man roster deadline.

Quandre Mosley

Despite going undrafted in April from the University of Kentucky, Mosely spent training camp with the Dallas Cowboys before being waived at the NFL’s 80-man roster deadline. Following his time in Dallas, the cornerback made subsequent stops on the practice squads of the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He earned one game day elevation with the Patriots in Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins. At 6-2, 195-pounds, he provided a solid blend of size and athleticism. As a prospect at Kentucky’s pro day, he ran a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash and posted a vertical jump of 36 inches.

Calvin Munson

Munson was signed to the Pats scout team in October for his third tour of duty. He previously spent time on the New England practice squad in 2018 and 2019 and on the 53-man roster in 2021. He has also spent time on the active roster with the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021. Munson has been a special teams mainstay throughout his pro career. He served as a game-day elevation for the Pats 35-23 season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. 

Tre Nixon

Having been drafted by the Pats in the seventh-round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Nixon has the distinction of being Ernie Adams’ final draft selection in the Patriots organization. Despite some miscues and drops in the preseason, Nixon is still very much in the mix for the Pats future at the position. He continues to project as a vertical deep threat, with the ability to use his speed to shed defenders at the line. Though he has typically lacked some physicality, he has demonstrated the necessary toughness to make catches in tight coverage.

Matt Sokol

Sokol was claimed off waivers and awarded to New England from Detroit in May. At 6-5, 249-pounds, he adds size and veteran savvy to the Pats tight end room on the practice squad. Sokol performed well during training camp practices, and led all tight ends in offensive snaps during the preseason. Serving as a roster elevation in three games this season, Sokol took 24 offensive snaps and 10 snaps on special teams. 

Scotty Washington

Washington signed with the Patriots practice squad in September. The 6-5, 247-pounder had spent the past two seasons on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad before being waived ahead of the Aug. 22 roster trimming deadline. Washington aligned at receiver for the Bengals until December 2021, when he converted to tight end. He was placed on the practice squad’s injured list at the end of December after logging 22 offensive snaps in his NFL debut on Christmas Eve against his former mates in Cincinnati. 

Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. 

Pharms is a versatile interior lineman who logged 22 tackles and two sacks for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in the spring of 2022. He was a notable contributor during training camp practices and played 22 snaps in the Pats preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug 26. He spent the entirety of the season on the Pats scout team. 

LaBryan Ray

At 6-5, 284-pounds, Ray has impressive size and athleticism. Having played five full seasons under Nick Saban, he is well-versed in a Belichick-style defense. He is particularly adept at stuffing the run, while recording six sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss during his time as Alabama. Following a stellar performance during camp and the preseason, Ray spent the early fall on the scout team, before being moved to the injured list in October. 

The remaining members of New England’s 2022 practice squad who remain unsigned are quarterback Garrett Gilbert, wide receiver Lynn Bowden, Jr, offensive lineman Bill Murray, linebacker Jamie Collins and kicker Tristan Vizcaino. 

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