2021 UDFA Signings Thread

[Patsgofor4]

I don’t doubt that the patriots will bring in some veterans who are either available currently or will become available after June 1 but I doubt that all seven roster spots will be filled with seasoned vets.

I was just thinking.....I wonder whether they may give a look to a couple of guys whom they released before the start of the season last year. How about Will Hastings, Sean Riley and/or my off-season binkie Jeff Thomas? With no OTAs, limited padded practices during training camp, no joint practice and no preseason games, guys like that had no ability to catch the eye of the coaches and show enough production or improvement to stick around, at least on the practice squad. Based upon my recollection, all of those guys were more highly touted as undrafted free agents than anyone who remains unsigned this year.

 

[Ross12]

I keep opening this thread every ~30-45 minutes hoping to see a UDFA signing. I'm thinking maybe I have a problem?

 

[Patsgofor4]

Makes sense Cousin,
Might want to see Sherman instead. Isn't he same age as MCourty?
There is a under the radar WR out there for Trade. Anthony Miller, as well.
DW Toys

I was thinking about Miller last week… And then I read this article.

Darnell Mooney thrives, Anthony Miller slides as Bears GM Ryan Pace drafts erratically on offense

Pace’s skill-player picks have been hit-and-miss, but he has reached a point where he can’t afford any more misses.

chicago.suntimes.com

The last time we heard from Miller, by the way, he was casually dismissing a question about a man he would later punch in the helmet. Even after coach Matt Nagy held a team meeting about Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and showed video of his instigation tactics, Miller couldn’t resist.

That was the tipping point after years of coaches saying publicly that Miller didn’t know the plays. His fellow receivers also recently voted him most likely to be late to practice in a lighthearted moment, though possibly with some truth in the levity, at a charity event.

Doesn’t sound like a guy that Belichick would want to coach.

 

[n6249c]

I keep opening this thread every ~30-45 minutes hoping to see a UDFA signing. I'm thinking maybe I have a problem?

Why do you think you have a problem?

 

[Jimke]

I keep opening this thread every ~30-45 minutes hoping to see a UDFA signing. I'm thinking maybe I have a problem?

You should ignore this thread until the 2022 draft is over.

 

[Easywolf32]

Not sure why the Pats left so many decent UDFA's just walk into other team's laps. So many WR's especially.

 

[Wozzy]

Not sure why the Pats left so many decent UDFA's just walk into other team's laps. So many WR's especially.

How many WR's do they need?

Tre Nixon was a very solid pickup in the 7th, there's a lot to like. First he has speed most others on the roster don't have besides Agholor.

He has great mobility which they all have (Harry good not great) and which the Patriot's value. What also sets him apart besides speed is strength, he is pretty strong for his size.

I'd say he has a solid chance of making the roster but they may decide to redshirt him with the Foxboro flu. If they find he is advanced route runner he could easily make it and contribute assuming Mac is starting.

 

[Sicilian]

Not sure why the Pats left so many decent UDFA's just walk into other team's laps. So many WR's especially.

I do wonder if they didn't see any of the UDFA WR's as having better upside than the two guys they had on the PS last year (Zuber and Wilkerson). Even if a kid on the market has a slight edge in talent, those two have a year's leg up in the system. If we're going to find a long shot WR post-draft, it might come from in house this year. Or more likely not at all, statistically.

 

[farn]

I

Not sure why the Pats left so many decent UDFA's just walk into other team's laps. So many WR's especially.

I know NE has had success in the past signing / developing UDFA, but if they skip a year, I’m not ready to press the panic button.

 

[borisman]

It seems ironic that the string of UDFA rookies making the opening dat roster for the Patriots may be broken because the Patriots didn’t sign any UDFAs.

maybe the way to look at it is that the team did not see any that stood a chance of making the roster so they chose not to waste anybody’s time.

Yeah, this roster is pretty deep as is. Maybe BB thought the players he would cut would more than fill out the practice squad roster (I count about 9-12 possibilities and am aware some of them may be scooped up by other teams but they may not leave the P.S. if there's already that comfort level), even likely that he'd pick up a couple of cut players from other teams. Maybe he is also waiting to add to the roster via June cuts. Is that still a thing or is everyone that will be cut in June already know about it?
It's still very unusual BB hasn't signed a single UDFA. Maybe Ernie did that and now he's retired. (j/k) Who's covering for him, a rocket scientist?

 

[Jimke]

I

I know NE has had success in the past signing / developing UDFA, but if they skip a year, I’m not ready to press the panic button.

I just wonder why, except for Harry, the Patriots seem to have an aversion every year to drafting
highly ranked wide receivers. It carrys over to the UDFAs where they pass on the higher ranked
wide receivers.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

I just wonder why, except for Harry, the Patriots seem to have an aversion every year to drafting
highly ranked wide receivers. It carrys over to the UDFAs where they pass on the higher ranked
wide receivers.

Maybe we have our eyes on some guys who are going to shake free.

 

[Wozzy]

I just wonder why, except for Harry, the Patriots seem to have an aversion every year to drafting
highly ranked wide receivers. It carrys over to the UDFAs where they pass on the higher ranked
wide receivers.

WR is the position with the highest failure rate in the entire draft, this is league wide... not just the Patriots. Vets are more reliable.

 

[long distance]

How many WR's do they need?

Normally they use about 11 WRs in Training Camp. Its 2-3 groups on the field practicing at the same time + simultaneous ST drills that take some WRs away etc. So normally they would need 2 more WRs esp. since Slater was not part of the WR drills last couple of yrs at least.

Last year they had to cut roster down to 80 to have full practice TC. They still carried 10 WRs not incl Slater.

There are rumours the League might ask teams to cut rosters to 80 before TC which is a total joke If teams have no clear info about that already. If they have than this might be one of the reasons for this UDFA mystery although Pats are the only one not filling the roster up with UDFA.

There are plenty shenanigans going on behind the scenes about boycotting all voluntary activities and pushing for allowing opt-outs again. All of this im sure doesn't sit well with Bill and it might be a slight middle finger to all involved by not investing in unnecessary players in this kind of environment. If all teams would agree not to sign UDFA until situation is cleared im sure it would be resolved in one day.


Ill write more about this in another post..

 

[Spiral]

I second the KJ Costello suggestion. Saw him play several times at Stanford. He kept Davis Mills on the bench until he got a serious concussion in the first game of 2019 against Northwestern. Had a miserable experience as a grad transfer at MSU last year. He could turn out to be more than a camp arm--when and if Mac Jones becomes QB1 in 2021, I think Cam might ask for his release. That would leave them with only 2 QBs on the roster.

 

[slam]

The fact that they haven't signed anyone yet (seemingly) must mean they aren't even trying to for whatever reason.

 

[n6249c]

... Maybe Ernie did that and now he's retired. (j/k) Who's covering for him, a rocket scientist?

You saying they brought back Matty P to be Ernie’s successor?

But they need a Wall Street quant not a spaceshot guy!

 

[upstater1]

How many WR's do they need?

Tre Nixon was a very solid pickup in the 7th, there's a lot to like. First he has speed most others on the roster don't have besides Agholor.

He has great mobility which they all have (Harry good not great) and which the Patriot's value. What also sets him apart besides speed is strength, he is pretty strong for his size.

I'd say he has a solid chance of making the roster but they may decide to redshirt him with the Foxboro flu. If they find he is advanced route runner he could easily make it and contribute assuming Mac is starting.

They need a lot of good ones.

 

[upstater1]

WR is the position with the highest failure rate in the entire draft, this is league wide... not just the Patriots. Vets are more reliable.

But good vets are hard to find since teams don't let them go easily. We've been through many. Who worked out in the last 20 years? Amendola and Moss? Can't think of anyone else. Maybe Brandon Lloyd was really good for us. The others either flamed out or gave us a half decent year. If you're relying on Vets at the WR position, you're starving. Can't think of a team that is having success with recycled vets.

 

[JerseyShore99]

2024 NFL Free Agents Tracker

Tracking the status and signings of all 2024 NFL free agents.

www.spotrac.com

NE's roster is too loaded to attract UDFAs, but I would have LOVED Marvin Wilson, Tamarrion Terry, Dylan Moses, Zach Von Rosenberg, Javian Hawkins, Tommy Kraemer, and Mark Gilbert