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Undrafted Free Agency Winners and Losers
by Sam Monson
4/5/2008
One week after the NFL Draft, the majority of the undrafted free agents have found themselves a home. They have either been signed and invited to camps by NFL teams, or they’re trying to walk on to an NFL team, turning up as unsigned free agents desperately hoping they can show enough to earn another crack. Having looked at the different approaches some of the NFL teams take to this period of frenzied player adding, and also taken a look at 20 of the top undrafted prospects remaining after the draft this year, we’re now going to take a look at which teams won and lost out on the process.
Winners
1. Minnesota Vikings
 – The Vikings under Brad Childress have leapt with both feet into the feeding frenzy of rookie free agent signing, and this year is no exception, with the Vikings agreeing to terms with 17 rookie free agents within 24 hours of the draft coming to a close. For the third year in a row they’ve targeted some of the bigger names available, coming away with 3 of the Diner’s top 20 rated players, and even more according to other sources, with USC Guard Drew Radovich and Miami (Fl.) QB, Kyle Wright also amongst the signees. The Vikings were also able to bring in EJ Henderson’s younger brother, Erin, not far removed from being projected a 2nd round pick.
2. Denver Broncos
– The Broncos didn’t go mad, signing only 7 rookie free agents, but they did manage to come away with a few top quality players in that 7. Anthony Alridge is a dangerous playmaker who may have fallen out of the draft because he lacks a really defined position, but he has the kind of skills that will make plays in the NFL if he makes a roster. LB Wesley Woodyard is another player seemingly between positions, but is a great football player, and should be given the shot to play despite his size.
3. Arizona Cardinals
– The Cardinals came away with 10 signees, and some interesting prospects. They snatched up Ali Highsmith, another player once projected as a 2nd round pick, and the man who chased down Darren McFadden to stop a TD at LSU, as well as adding DE Bryan Robinson, from Wesley College. They also took Hercules Satele, brother of Miami C, Samson and Penn St. QB Anthony Morelli, a prospect with NFL measurables, but who has never been able to get his play on track. If they can get him onto a practice squad he could have some nice development potential.
4. Houston Texans
– The Texans were another team who didn’t bring in half the world, signing only 8 players, but they got some intriguing prospects with those signings. Ryan Grice-Mullins is the least known of the trio of Hawaii receivers that Colt Brennan put up his monster numbers throwing to, but he’s the fastest, and might project the best to the NFL because of that. They also added another member of the Diner top 20 in LB Ben Moffitt, another linebacker who just loves football and makes plays. These kinds of linebackers are the guys who make special teams stars.
5. Miami Dolphins
– Bill Parcells’ first draft doesn’t end with the 252nd pick; it also extended to signing 17 rookie free agents, including Davone Bess, Colt Brennan’s favourite target at Hawaii. Bess measured horribly in pretty much every area pre-draft, but seems to play much faster than that, and has a knack for making big plays. Kelly Poppinga, brother of the Packers’ Brady, was also regarded by many as one of the top rookie free agents available, and will serve to be a nice addition.
Losers
1. Cleveland Browns
– Despite signing 30 rookie free agents in an attempt to make up for the lack of opportunity to draft many, the Browns missed on most if not all of the top prospects remaining, and have taken something of a shotgun approach to the whole thing hoping that if they fire enough lead, something is bound to be on target. Whilst this might be a nice idea in theory, they might just have simply too many bodies in camp to really sift through the trash and find the valuables at the bottom.
2. Atlanta Falcons
– The Falcons signed only 7 rookie free agents, including a punter. Failing to address several key positions in the draft, despite their multitude of picks, the Falcons didn’t bother taking a crack at it either with their rookie free agents signing 5 of the 7 at positions other than either line.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
– The Eagles also signed only 7 rookie free agents and also missed out on the big name players available. Rumours were that they had signed WR from Oklahoma State, Adarius Bowman, who’s 6’4, 220lb frame would certainly have provided interesting mismatches in the red zone, but those rumours were later denied, and Bowman remains available (although close to signing with the Cowboys). To their credit, they did however sign 3 wide receivers, at least looking to find something at the position.
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