Browns Sign 8 To Futures Deals Including WR Josh Boyce

The Cleveland Browns announced Monday that they’ve signed eight players to future/reserve contracts including:

1. WR Josh Boyce
2. LB James Burgess
3. DL Trevon Coley
4. DB Justin Currie
5. DB Trae Elston
6. DB Darius Hillary
7. TE J.P. Holtz
8. OL Zach Sterup

Future/reserve contracts are essentially an opportunity for players compete for a roster spot in offseason workouts and during training camp.

Boyce, 25, is a former fourth-round pick of the Patriots back in 2013. He spent two years in New England before he was waived with the injury designation at the start of the 2015 season.

Unfortunately, Boyce sat out the entire 2015 season after no team signed him to a contract. The Colts elected to bring Boyce this past April, but he wasn’t able to make the 53-man roster coming out of the preseason.

The Browns later signed him to their practice squad.

Boyce last appeared in an NFL game during the 2014 season while he was with the Patriots.

Sterup, 24, wound up going undrafted out of Nebraska back in May but received an invite to participate in the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. The Chiefs later signed him to a three-year, $1.62 million contract.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs waived him coming out of the preseason and he was on and off of their practice squJames Burgessad before the Jets signed him to a contract a few weeks ago. New York cut him loose in November and he later caught on with the Browns a few days later.

It’s worth mentioning that Sterup was suspended in August for the first four games for violating the policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Sterup started 17 games for Nebraska during his college career.