Our Defense is NOT Loaded; our BACKUPS are weak.

[BTTA]

Well, we've got stats galore here. So if I understand, on average, 13+ of the 53 man roster is UDFA, and 0 or 1 plays any significant time.

 

[Wozzy]

You're jumping all over the place. I'm only following your anecdotal examples who are really examples making my argument.

You still haven't answered. How many rookie UFA's are factors as position players, backup or otherwise, a year in the NFL?

Answer: Less than 20 out of about 500. Less than 1 per team.

That's the only stat that matters when discussing UFA's as potential position backups.

Depth is depth, whether it’s the immediate backup, or the guy behind him waiting on the practice squad for his opportunity.

Like I said originally, Muma and Obiazor are the first line of rotation depth. We’ll see if the two undrafted guys make an impression. If so, they’ll be the 3rd like of depth. I never said undrafted guys had to play a ton of snaps or put a number on it, you did… they could make difference in case of injury, on special teams or just make an impression for the future.

 

[Wozzy]

Well, we've got stats galore here. So if I understand, on average, 13+ of the 53 man roster is UDFA, and 0 or 1 plays any significant time.

Pats had 17 UDFA’s contribute last year.

Charles Woods
Jack Westover
Leonard Taylor
Robert Spillane
Brenden Schooler
Elijah Ponder
Jeremiah Pharms
Dell Pettus
D'Ernest Johnson
Terrell Jennings
Eric Gregory
Jack Gibbens
Christian Elliss
Cory Durden
CJ Dippre
Efton Chism
Ben Brown

I would say having a good backup to the backup pushing everyone ahead of him is quality depth. Playing a lot was never mentioned, not by me anyway.

That being said, it happens….

Phillip Lindsay became the first undrafted rookie in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in his debut season.

Wes Welker was immediately good as a punt and kick returner, 2nd in the NFL in yards in both return stats. The notion he did “nothing” as a rookie is outright wrong.

Tony Romo won the backup job his rookie season.

Adam Vinatieri only became the best kicker in history.

 

[mgteich]

We certainly need to distinguish rookie UDFA's from those UDFA's who have eventually made an NFL team and have been contributors.
=======
1) The hope is that we sign ONE UDFA who can contribute as a backup (usually after injuries) in his rookie year. The expectation is that one or two make the 53 and have few reps as a rookie. Ponder was a fine success last year.

2) The hope is that 1-3 of our rookie UDFA's make the Practice Squad. These players might even be elevated later in the year or even be permanently promoted to the roster. Swinson is an example.

3) Hopefully, some of the UDFA's who are developed on the Practice Squad (and not poached) make the team in their 2nd or 3rd and become contributors or even end of the roster emergency players. One or two seem to make the 53 each year.

4) Successful teams pick up UDFA's who have not succeeded elsewhere. A successful example is Durden.

5) Finally, teams can pick up UDFA's who have played regularly, perhaps with some success, for several years in the league. A successful example here is Spillane.

6) As an aside, there is a 6th category: UDFA's who spend their rookie years on IR. Theoretically, they might make the 53 and become contributor in their 2nd year. I don't think that we have this situation on the patriots, certainly no this century.

 

[Family]

1) The hope is that we sign ONE UDFA who can contribute as a backup (usually after injuries) in his rookie year. The expectation is that one or two make the 53 and have few reps as a rookie.

AI ran CBS/TruMedia and PFF stats of UFA rookies since 2015 who have played 100 or more snaps at a position, and the result was 10-15 players qualified per year in the ENTIRE LEAGUE.

So one in every 2 or 3 teams have a rookie UFA play at least 6 snaps a game on offense or defense. Having one rookie UFA make a team as a backup position performer is a home run.

But Tony Romo won the backup job 20 years ago so that's what proves the point.

Rooke UFA's should never enter a discussion as a position back up candidate, until they've shown something in camp.

The discussion is absurd.