UDFA signings? So, who cares??????

[DonCorleone]

Season after season, that is my attitude toward UDFA signings. I am a Jets fan after all. 

So why am I feeling so darn great about UDFAs this season?

 I am not just hopeful, I sincerely believe that they've struck gold with at least 2 of them. I am not supposed to feel this way about UDFA, what the heck is going on with me????

 

[Tranquilo]

I don't usually think much about UDFA signings but when the team is handing out record money for some of these dudes, that tells me they have plans for them.

[Joe W. Namath]

Because we have one of the best GMs in the league and a coach who can actually coach up his players.

This team will be competing for a Super Bowl in 2023.  Get ready jet fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DepressedJetsFan23]

I feel like everybody is a hall of famer around draft time. Every single UDFA and Sixth round pick has a "High Ceiling" or a "Steal". The hype some of these guys receive is a little over the top. 

[32EBoozer]

12 minutes ago, DonCorleone said:

Season after season, that is my attitude toward UDFA signings. I am a Jets fan after all. 

So why am I feeling so darn great about UDFAs this season?

 I am not just hopeful, I sincerely believe that they've struck gold with at least 2 of them. I am not supposed to feel this way about UDFA, what the heck is going on with me????

 

34” arms and 4.4 speed!

[32EBoozer]

12 minutes ago, Tranquilo said:

I don't usually think much about UDFA signings but when the team is handing out record money for some of these dudes, that tells me they have plans for them.

https://jetswire.usatoday.com/lists/new-york-jets-roster-2021-undrafted-free-agents-kenny-yeboah-isaiah-dunn/

https://jetswire.usatoday.com/lists/new-york-jets-2021-nfl-draft-class-one-thing-to-love-zach-wilson-elijah-moore/

[TheNuuFaaolaExperience]

There are many one and doners, but there are also Robby Andersons, Philip Lyndsays, James Robinsons and Adam Thielens. It's fun to catch lighting in a bottle. 

[Dinamite]

I know he is a longshot and did not get the record deals the other ones did, but I am hopeful Tristan Hodge from BYU can be a candidate for RG.  He played really well last couple of years, just had COVID CUT his season short. And the added benefit of chemistry with Zach Wilson.

[Warfish]

41 minutes ago, DonCorleone said:

Season after season, that is my attitude toward UDFA signings. I am a Jets fan after all. 

So why am I feeling so darn great about UDFAs this season?

 I am not just hopeful, I sincerely believe that they've struck gold with at least 2 of them. I am not supposed to feel this way about UDFA, what the heck is going on with me????

 

IMO UDFA Signings are one of the most irrelevant, yet overhyped, aspects of the offseason.

99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters.  Nor should they for the most part.

Fans get all hot and hyped about them (remember Lawrence Cager last year?, There is a Cager or three every year, and they usually are pretty bad when the rubber meets the road) and start fantasizing about them being diamond unicorns four-leaf clovers.

But generally, they're irrelevant.  Even the very best of them (Anderson) aren't really worth all the hot air expended over them.

I have noticed a very large fascination/obsession with them in our Fanbase (the Chrebet Effect?), but I just presume all Fanbases are equally silly over these fringe dudes.

Think of them like lottery tickets.  Same theory.

[derp]

Grant Hermanns is an interesting one. Took the left tackle job at Purdue as a redshirt freshman. Tall dude, decent movement skills on his shuttle time, pretty lanky and room to add a little weight. McDermott is solid as the fourth tackle and probably has an edge with his ability to kick in to guard but that’s probably one of the more available spots on the roster for someone who shows well.

I know fans tend to view guard as a bigger need because they could use a starter there but with AVT, Feeney, and Clark all basically roster locks and it being very likely that Van Roten or Lewis is making the team at one of those spots as a starter it seems to me that’s a tougher group for a UDFA to crack unless he’s good enough to take the starting job.

[dcJet]

LOL we always love these guys is right!

I didn't know these UDFA's can get paid a bonus, setting up a small bidding war.  Yeboah (TE)  got 200K; Dunn (CB) $185K.

It's better to be not drafted - earn some guaranteed cash or sign with a team weak at your position.

[derp]

5 minutes ago, Warfish said:

IMO UDFA Signings are one of the most irrelevant, yet overhyped, aspects of the offseason.

99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters.  Nor should they for the most part.

Fans get all hot and hyped about them (remember Lawrence Cager last year?, There is a Cager or three every year, and they usually are pretty bad when the rubber meets the road) and start fantasizing about them being diamond unicorns four-leaf clovers.

But generally, they're irrelevant.  Even the very best of them (Anderson) aren't really worth all the hot air expended over them.

I have noticed a very large fascination/obsession with them in our Fanbase (the Chebet Effect?), but I just presume all Fanbases are equally silly over these fringe dudes.

Think of them like lottery tickets.  Same theory.

I think a lot of the fascination comes from the Tannenbaum era too where all of the assets were spent on the top of the roster so multiple UDFA’s needed to make the roster just to fill out the team. Always fun to root for an underdog too.

That said, the guy who was a surprise UDFA might have medical issues. And maybe the Jets have a UDFA make the final 53 but the Ravens cut one of their fullbacks to get to 53 and the Jets bring in that guy and cut the UDFA who just made the team. Tough for those guys to stick.

They definitely can play big roles though. Especially this year it makes sense that guys would slip through the cracks. I imagine we’ll see some excellent ones across the league.

[slats]

36 minutes ago, Tranquilo said:

I don't usually think much about UDFA signings but when the team is handing out record money for some of these dudes, that tells me they have plans for them.

It's still up to the players to produce. Those large bonuses were handed out to convince those guys to come try to make the Jets' roster over other teams. That's it. The $200K guaranteed doesn't guarantee anybody a roster spot. The Jets are still carrying $8M in dead cap for Trumaine Johnson, $200K is pocket lint. 

[section314]

9 minutes ago, derp said:

I think a lot of the fascination comes from the Tannenbaum era too where all of the assets were spent on the top of the roster so multiple UDFA’s needed to make the roster just to fill out the team. Always fun to root for an underdog too.

That said, the guy who was a surprise UDFA might have medical issues. And maybe the Jets have a UDFA make the final 53 but the Ravens cut one of their fullbacks to get to 53 and the Jets bring in that guy and cut the UDFA who just made the team. Tough for those guys to stick.

They definitely can play big roles though. Especially this year it makes sense that guys would slip through the cracks. I imagine we’ll see some excellent ones across the league.

Great point. Travel and scouting was definitely compromised. Guys would go to games to watch certain players, and would probably focus on those 3-5 guys even more than usual. A player or two might stand out from the main attractions, and when tapes were watched, they rose even further. I would think you may see way more UDFA's on 53 man rosters this year than ever before. I wouldn't be shocked to see 2-3 make the Jets.

[JohnnyLV]

24 minutes ago, Dinamite said:

I know he is a longshot and did not get the record deals the other ones did, but I am hopeful Tristan Hodge from BYU can be a candidate for RG.  He played really well last couple of years, just had COVID CUT his season short. And the added benefit of chemistry with Zach Wilson.

I realize we get overhyped about UDFA but this was a different year. Teams could not do proper evaluations and I can guarantee that in a normal year some of these UDFA going through the full evaluation process would be 2nd/3rd rounders.

HOGE is really interesting. His play and performance are quite excellent. I think he has a real shot at not only making the team but starting depending on how Cameron Clark looks. At worst I think he sticks for depth.

Yeboah should have been a 4th round guy. He does have a lot of upside. Had the dropsies, which can be fixed. Could easily see him as a starter play 1 of 2021 season.

 

[Tranquilo]

7 minutes ago, slats said:

It's still up to the players to produce. Those large bonuses were handed out to convince those guys to come try to make the Jets' roster over other teams. That's it. The $200K guaranteed doesn't guarantee anybody a roster spot. The Jets are still carrying $8M in dead cap for Trumaine Johnson, $200K is pocket lint. 

Absolutely, it's up to the players. But if they feel like they should outbid other teams for these players, then it's something to look at, at least something that makes them more likely to make the team than other UDFAs because the team seems to like their talent.

[Sarge4Tide]

We had three rookie UDFA contributors last year - Lamar Jackson, Bryce Huff and Javelin Guidry.  Lawrence Cager played and could still contribute this year

If we can get 2-3 contributors again from the current group, it would be great

[JohnnyLV]

26 minutes ago, Warfish said:

IMO UDFA Signings are one of the most irrelevant, yet overhyped, aspects of the offseason.

99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters.  Nor should they for the most part.

Fans get all hot and hyped about them (remember Lawrence Cager last year?, There is a Cager or three every year, and they usually are pretty bad when the rubber meets the road) and start fantasizing about them being diamond unicorns four-leaf clovers.

But generally, they're irrelevant.  Even the very best of them (Anderson) aren't really worth all the hot air expended over them.

I have noticed a very large fascination/obsession with them in our Fanbase (the Chebet Effect?), but I just presume all Fanbases are equally silly over these fringe dudes.

Think of them like lottery tickets.  Same theory.

With all due respect Cager actually looked good in the games he played. I could definitely see him making the roster this year. Huff played well last year. Are they overhyped? Probably but a few of them will also make THIS team so why not get excited about them. They can make a difference on the roster even if just for depth and ST. But like I said, I think this UDFA class is different than other years because teams simply did not have the ability to really valuate these guys. I read that some teams had less than a 100 players on their board. There will be some GEMS from UDFA this year and more than normal. JMO

[Augustiniak]

2 minutes ago, Tranquilo said:

Absolutely, it's up to the players. But if they feel like they should outbid other teams for these players, then it's something to look at, at least something that makes them more likely to make the team than other UDFAs because the team seems to like their talent.

Especially at TE where they didn’t upgrade in FA or the draft.  

[JohnnyLV]

2 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said:

We had three rookie UDFA contributors last year - Lamar Jackson, Bryce Huff and Javelin Guidry.  Lawrence Cager played and could still contribute this year

If we can get 2-3 contributors again from the current group, it would be great

And all 3 of the contributors from last year have a very decent chance of sticking this year as well.

[mrcoops]

We love to root for the underdogs, which is what these guys are.

Of course, a lot won't make it....but a lot of others will.  And, sometimes, very occasionally, you get a star player who was an UDFA and that always makes for a great story.

Victor Green, Brandon Moore, Chrebet, Snacks - some terrific Jets players have started out as UDFAs, and they usually become beloved by the fans.

[dcJet]

12 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said:

We had three rookie UDFA contributors last year - Lamar Jackson, Bryce Huff and Javelin Guidry.  Lawrence Cager played and could still contribute this year

If we can get 2-3 contributors again from the current group, it would be great

Lamar especially contributed to the tank!  Thanks Lamar!

[rldev]

If "99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters", then how exactly is 30% of the league comprised of UDFAs?

Sorry, math is not my strong suit.

 

[32EBoozer]

15 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said:

We had three rookie UDFA contributors last year - Lamar Jackson, Bryce Huff and Javelin Guidry.  Lawrence Cager played and could still contribute this year

If we can get 2-3 contributors again from the current group, it would be great

Based on your roster projections, I can only see Cager on PS.

[Warfish]

12 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

With all due respect Cager actually looked good in the games he played. I could definitely see him making the roster this year.

If butterhands Cager plays even a SINGLE down in 2021 at WR, something absolutely horrible will have had to occur.

I'm sorry, but this is exactly the (IMO) laughable obsession with fringe nobodies I was talking about. 

Lawrence Cager is not a legitimate NFL talent.  Which is why ESPN currently has him listed as the 10th-12th WR on our Roster, i.e. 4th string, along with Josh Malone and DJ Montgomery. 

None of whom should be on our opening day roster.  We can do (and finally seem to have done) better.

12 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

Are they overhyped? Probably but a few of them will also make THIS team so why not get excited about them.

Because they suck. 

Getting excited about fringe guys who suck is just another legacy IMO of the pathetic offensive history of this franchise.  It's literally grasping at straws.

I can't imagine that legit teams are obsessing over how great their 12th WR could be and how they really could crack the roster....

12 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

I think this UDFA class is different than other years because teams simply did not have the ability to really valuate these guys. I read that some teams had less than a 100 players on their board. There will be some GEMS from UDFA this year and more than normal. JMO

We'll see.

[Warfish]

6 minutes ago, rldev said:

If "99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters", then how exactly is 30% of the league comprised of UDFAs?

Sorry, math is not my strong suit.

 

hyperbole
[hīˈpərbəlē]
NOUN
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Example:  99% of the time when someone says "99% of the time", they are engaging in hyperbole.

 

[nycdan]

7 minutes ago, rldev said:

If "99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters", then how exactly is 30% of the league comprised of UDFAs?

Sorry, math is not my strong suit.

 

It's a numbers game.  

Say an average team drafts 7 players and signs 7 UDFAs.  If 3 of the UDFAs make the roster (and all of the draft picks) then 30% of the new players are UDFAs.  Less than half of the UDFAs make the roster, but they represent 30% of the total players in this example.

The real numbers are probably different, but you can see how it works from that example.

[JohnnyLV]

9 minutes ago, Warfish said:

If butterhands Cager plays even a SINGLE down in 2021 at WR, something absolutely horrible will have had to occur.

I'm sorry, but this is exactly the (IMO) laughable obsession with fringe nobodies I was talking about. 

Lawrence Cager is not a legitimate NFL talent.  Which is why ESPN currently has him listed as the 10th-12th WR on our Roster, i.e. 4th string, along with Josh Malone and DJ Montgomery. 

None of whom should be on our opening day roster.  We can do (and finally seem to have done) better.

Because they suck. 

Getting excited about fringe guys who suck is just another legacy IMO of the pathetic offensive history of this franchise.  It's literally grasping at straws.

I can't imagine that legit teams are obsessing over how great their 12th WR could be and how they really could crack the roster....

We'll see.

I am not going to apologize about getting excited about any Jets player 1st rounder or UDFA. Reality is that tracking the progress of the rookies through twitter, KRL reports, etc.. is fun and to see a UDFA flash in camp and make the team is exciting. Do I really expect any of them to be Pro Bowlers? No. But we also historically  keep a lot of veteran stiffs over younger players so it is also good to see them replaced by talented young players. We all just want the team to be better regardless of how we got the player.

[Lith]

Of our top 6 rookies last year -- based on snap counts -- 3 were undrafted.  Lamar Jackson, Javelin Guidry and Bryce Huff.  The drop off in talent from 6/7 rounders to UDFA is not that significant.  And with the challenges scouting this year, the difference between day 3 pick and UDFA may be even less than past years. 

Nobody expects any of these guys to make a major contribution as rookies, but it is not crazy to think that 2 or 3 of these guys might be on the 53 on opening day.

[vtbx]

1 hour ago, Warfish said:

IMO UDFA Signings are one of the most irrelevant, yet overhyped, aspects of the offseason.

99% of these guys barely make it to camp, and don't make actual rosters.  Nor should they for the most part.

Fans get all hot and hyped about them (remember Lawrence Cager last year?, There is a Cager or three every year, and they usually are pretty bad when the rubber meets the road) and start fantasizing about them being diamond unicorns four-leaf clovers.

But generally, they're irrelevant.  Even the very best of them (Anderson) aren't really worth all the hot air expended over them.

I have noticed a very large fascination/obsession with them in our Fanbase (the Chrebet Effect?), but I just presume all Fanbases are equally silly over these fringe dudes.

Think of them like lottery tickets.  Same theory.

Outside of the 99%, you may find one Snacks Harrison.

[Alka]

1 hour ago, DonCorleone said:

Season after season, that is my attitude toward UDFA signings. I am a Jets fan after all. 

So why am I feeling so darn great about UDFAs this season?

 I am not just hopeful, I sincerely believe that they've struck gold with at least 2 of them. I am not supposed to feel this way about UDFA, what the heck is going on with me????

 

Just try to remember that Wayne Chrebet was an undrafted free agent.  That should make you feel better!

[Warfish]

11 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

I am not going to apologize about getting excited about any Jets player 1st rounder or UDFA.

No one is asking you to apologize.

Quote

Reality is that tracking the progress of the rookies through twitter, KRL reports, etc.. is fun and to see a UDFA flash in camp and make the team is exciting.

To each their own, thinking about Wilson throwing to Davis/Mims/Crowder/Moore/Cole is what I think of as fun.

Having enough legit talent that EDFA's have no shot at making the team is what I think of as exciting.

Quote

Do I really expect any of them to be Pro Bowlers? No. But we also historically  keep a lot of veteran stiffs over younger players so it is also good to see them replaced by talented young players. We all just want the team to be better regardless of how we got the player.

So who are you benching so Cager can get playing time?

Davis/Mims/Crowder/Moore/Cole?

[undertow]

It's ok to be excited about a few UDFAs but if you are changing your grades because of it you are taking it too seriously.   Same thing about being upset we took a DT in the 8th round. 

[GreenReaper]

Kenny Yeboah could turn out to be a better playmaker TE then what's currently on the roster.  Thought he would be drafted by 5th round.  Should definitely make the team. 

Yeboah could be a steal. 

[JohnnyLV]

15 minutes ago, Warfish said:

No one is asking you to apologize.

To each their own, thinking about Wilson throwing to Davis/Mims/Crowder/Moore/Cole is what I think of as fun.

Having enough legit talent that EDFA's have no shot at making the team is what I think of as exciting.

So who are you benching so Cager can get playing time?

Davis/Mims/Crowder/Moore/Cole?

Wilson throwing to Davis/Mims/Crowder/Moore/Cole is more exciting for me as well.

I am not benching anyone for Cager but if last showed anything we need depth at WR