UDFA deals, as per Reiss

[patchick]

My thoughts exactly...


But seriously, folks...
Warren's wrestling backgroud def. works in his favor; besides Stephen Neal, other OLmen
were HS wrestlers, too. Warren, however, is also 30 lbs. heavier than Neal and might not
have the mobility of even Marcus Cannon.
I'll be keeping an eye on him during TC, as well as on Donald Brown, Robert Gallery, Matt Kopa
& Nick McDonald.

The number that does jump out at me for Warren is his vertical. In the past I've called Dante's boys the Olympic high jump team, super-heavyweight division.

 

[mayoclinic]

The number that does jump out at me for Warren is his vertical. In the past I've called Dante's boys the Olympic high jump team, super-heavyweight division.

Sebastian Vollmer: 36.5" vertical
Nate Solder: 32" vertical
Marcus Cannon: 30.5" vertical (at 358#)
Logan Mankins: 31.5" vertical

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

one of the great things about being an UDFA is that you get to choose where you are going to go, and if I were a good UDFA and checked the Pats roster, it would be one of the last places I wanted to go, unless I was a RB or S. Based on the ratings and the small number of UDFA's signed, I think the FO did a really nice job in getting the guys they did. The Pats might be a great organization to work for and learn the game, and despite having a great record of have UDFA's stick, it wasn't going to be a hot spot for UDFA's this season.

Ah but the bad thing is that you have to play for peanuts. Destroy your body for chicken feed. Yikes that is low pay...

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Sebastian Vollmer: 36.5" vertical
Nate Solder: 32" vertical
Marcus Cannon: 30.5" vertical (at 358#)
Logan Mankins: 31.5" vertical

That really makes me feel like a shyte athlete. I don't know what my vert is, but it's not better than those. I also weigh a little more than half of what these guys weigh in at.

 

[patchick]

Ah but the bad thing is that you have to play for peanuts. Destroy your body for chicken feed. Yikes that is low pay...

Umm...Fred? You do know that's just the signing bonus, right?

If anybody's curious, all players in training camp get a per diem that I believe comes in around $900/wk + room and board. Anybody who actually makes it onto the team gets at least rookie minimum of $390,000/year. The minimum weekly pay for a practice squad player is $5,700.

 

[Ron Sellers]

After the draft, I read that $76,000 was allotted for rookie signings.
I figured that the amount is much too low for the draft choices so
it has to be the UDFAs. Other years, all rookies, undrafted and drafted,
were included in the rookie pool. There was no limit on UDFA bonus money.
Maybe, too much money was diverted from the draft picks?

That amount ($76,585 to be exact) is strictly in regards to undrafted free agents; rookies that were drafted are not part of that total.

For example 7th round draft pick Jeremy Ebert received a $48,200 signing bonus, so it appears there is a much more substantial difference between being a late 7th round pick and an undrafted free agent than say a 6th round pick versus a 7th round pick.


A couple of side notes that perhaps only I find interesting.

• - The Cowboys signed 21 UDFA - and three of them received signing bonuses of $9,000 or more: Dallas Cowboys Headlines: UDFA Bonuses, No Ruling In Cap Case, Cowboys Undervalued? - Blogging The Boys
  
• - The Seahawks have a tendency to go top-heavy with their UDFA signing bonuses - especially at WR. This year Lavasei Tuinei got a $15,000 signing bonus; last year Doug Baldwin received $17,500. Seattle's top four UDFA received $39,000 in signing bonuses; a year ago their top three UDFS got $42,500 in signing bonuses: On the Seahawks' UDFA Signing Bonuses - Field Gulls
  
• - 2012's biggest signing bonus: Appalachian State KR/RB Travaris Cadet, at $30,000. I'm guessing that this may be due in large part to the low number of draft picks New Orleans had this year, and they felt they needed to outbid everyone else for their highest rated UDFA: Saints give Travaris Cadet $30K to sign - NFL- NBC Sports
  

I am somewhat curious why the powers that be felt compelled to cap the amount of bonuses given to UDFA's though; in the grand scheme of things it's such a minute amount of a team's operating budget that it shouldn't prevent any team from signing a player that they really want.

 

[captain stone]

Thanks for the clarification, and for the side notes which I also find interesting.
(I must confess that I had never heard of Travaris Cadet until 5 mins ago.)

And I agree with your last statement; why bother capping the UDFA signing bonuses,
esp. at such a relatively low number?
The league needs, I believe, to expand its off-season & TC roster limits,
and eliminate the game-day inactive list.

 

[SirApropos]

I imagine a lot of the PS Squad guys will be getting shots in the USFL next year.

That's going to play havoc with the 90 man roster/OTA's for those guys.

 

[patchick]

I am somewhat curious why the powers that be felt compelled to cap the amount of bonuses given to UDFA's though; in the grand scheme of things it's such a minute amount of a team's operating budget that it shouldn't prevent any team from signing a player that they really want.

It's an interesting question. Perhaps even the "minute" amounts could be worked into a significant advantage for the deep-pocket teams. There's also the argument that it's just part and parcel of the rookie cap and rookie pool, and that UDFAs shouldn't be in position to make more than draftees. It makes some sense to say that nobody should feel penalized for having been drafted, and thus missing out on an uncapped bidding war. :confused2:

 

[Ron Sellers]

It's an interesting question. Perhaps even the "minute" amounts could be worked into a significant advantage for the deep-pocket teams. There's also the argument that it's just part and parcel of the rookie cap and rookie pool, and that UDFAs shouldn't be in position to make more than draftees. It makes some sense to say that nobody should feel penalized for having been drafted, and thus missing out on an uncapped bidding war. :confused2:

I suppose you could be correct. For example the signing bonus of that Saints UDFA above ($30k) is approaching that of a 7th round pick (Ebert, $48k); something would indeed be wrong with the system if a UDFA was able to get a better contract than a draftee.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It's an interesting question. Perhaps even the "minute" amounts could be worked into a significant advantage for the deep-pocket teams. There's also the argument that it's just part and parcel of the rookie cap and rookie pool, and that UDFAs shouldn't be in position to make more than draftees. It makes some sense to say that nobody should feel penalized for having been drafted, and thus missing out on an uncapped bidding war. :confused2:

There was already a limit on individual UDFA SBs in the old CBA, so there was never a chance of an UDFA getting more guaranteed than a drafted rookie.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

and eliminate the game-day inactive list.

The logic for the game-day inactive list isn't a bad one (it accounts for injuries, to keep teams closer to even strength).

Maybe it needs tweaking, but not outright elimination.

 

[Urgent]

Jon Opperod, OT, Montana, signed.
6-6.7 302
Notable three-cone - 8.1. Among the slowest of all rated players in the agility drill.

Definitely a different type of tackle being added.
Solder: 6-8.2 319
Vollmer: 6-7.4 312
Hix: 6-6.7 319

The Pats used to feature smaller, mobile, athletic OL.
Throw in Gallery at guard, at 6-7.1.
They are adding a lot more length at tackle, yielding agility.

 

[Sciz]

Jon Opperod, OT, Montana, signed.
6-6.7 302
Notable three-cone - 8.1. Among the slowest of all rated players in the agility drill.

Definitely a different type of tackle being added.
Solder: 6-8.2 319
Vollmer: 6-7.4 312
Hix: 6-6.7 319

The Pats used to feature smaller, mobile, athletic OL.
Throw in Gallery at guard, at 6-7.1.
They are adding a lot more length at tackle, yielding agility.

He's another jumper. 31.5 inches, which is very good for a tackle.

 

[mayoclinic]

He's another jumper. 31.5 inches, which is very good for a tackle.

From Pro Football Weekly:

Was an all-around athlete as an Oregon prep, earning letters in football (three), basketball (three) and track (two) and being named captain of each squad[/b]. Saw action in 11 games as a reserve lineman and special-teams player as a true freshman in 2008. Started 14-of-15 games at left guard in ’09, missing only the Cal Poly contest with a separated left shoulder. Was moved to left tackle during ’10 spring practice and started 10 contests in the fall. Was limited in fall camp and missed the season opener against Western State with a right knee injury sustained during the summer. Did not participate in ’11 spring practice because of a right shoulder injury. Team captain.

Summary:

Tall, slow-footed, FCS blocker who played tackle and guard as a three-year starter. Relies on positioning and technique to control defenders, as he is not strong enough to generate power on his own. Is intelligent, tough and competitive, though his intangibles outpace his athletic ability.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Draft Prospect - Jon Opperud

Sound familiar? Team captain. Check. Cross-sports background. Check. Position switch. Check. Sounds like he has decent technique and explosiveness. I doubt Scar cares much about 3-cone numbers for offensive linemen.

He's a huge longshot. But there seem to be some consistent things that keep emerging.

 

[AdamJT13]

There was already a limit on individual UDFA SBs in the old CBA, so there was never a chance of an UDFA getting more guaranteed than a drafted rookie.

That's not correct. Under the old CBA, a team could pay a UDFA as much as it wanted, as long as it could afford it under its rookie pool.

And the new undrafted rookie reservation doesn't prevent a UDFA from getting more than a drafted player. If some team had wanted to pay a UDFA more than a $45,895 signing bonus this year, it certainly could have. A team could have given its entire $76,585 reservation to one player, if it wanted.

 

[captain stone]

Thanks for the follow-up Adam.
BTW, do you know from where the league pulled that $76,585 figure for UDFA bonuses?
It seems rather arbitrary, unless it is tied to some % of the overall rookie pool.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

That's not correct. Under the old CBA, a team could pay a UDFA as much as it wanted, as long as it could afford it under its rookie pool.

And the new undrafted rookie reservation doesn't prevent a UDFA from getting more than a drafted player. If some team had wanted to pay a UDFA more than a $45,895 signing bonus this year, it certainly could have. A team could have given its entire $76,585 reservation to one player, if it wanted.

OK, I admit I am wrong.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Thanks for the follow-up Adam.
BTW, do you know from where the league pulled that $76,585 figure for UDFA bonuses?
It seems rather arbitrary, unless it is tied to some % of the overall rookie pool.

"Inflation" from last year's $75,000.

 

[mayoclinic]

OK, I admit I am wrong.

That's not allowed on this board.