Editor’s note: This piece was initially published on May 9.
Dubbed by some as the unofficial eighth round of the draft, undrafted free agency is an important part of team-building. Even on just a practical level, the league doesn’t draft enough players to fill out the roster, so undrafted free agents fill in the cracks.
But more than that, UDFAs can be an important source of talent for savvy teams. Every year, teams mine crucial depth, important role players, a handful of starters and even a star or two from time to time.
For a few years now, we’ve been previewing the UDFA class to try and identify who those gems in the muck could be. We have a decent track record. Of the 40-some players highlighted last year, 30 are still with the same team, 21 made the Week 1 roster and 12 were either key contributors or starters — guys like Dolphins CB Storm Duck , Jets DT Leonard Taylor , Rams LB Omar Speights and Steelers CB Beanie Bishop . Hits in past years include guys like Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin , Vikings LB Ivan Pace , Buccaneers RB Sean Tucker , Patriots S Brenden Schooler and Jets TE Stone Smartt .
Hopefully the momentum continues. Here’s a look at at least one UDFA from every team who has a chance to stick and make an impact. One caveat: not all the teams have finalized their UDFA signings, so it’s possible a deal that has been reported ends up falling through. There are also some helpful resources linked below.
