Shortly after the season ends, teams generally ink quite a few players to reserve/future deals. These contracts do not take effect until the new league year, but are a way for teams like the Falcons to get players they might want to take to training camp to compete for jobs on board early.
Last year, Atlanta added and/or kept aboard key contributors like Caleb Huntley, Cornell Armstrong, and Ryan Neuzil using these deals. They also signed a pair of Canadian Football League standouts in Dee Alford and Brayden Lenius, and Alford wound up being a valuable reserve at cornerback all season long for the team.