Freethinker
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Thanks TT for highlighting the guys with the best chances of making their squads based on the money already invested in them. A good way to track things.
Undrafted free agent tracker 2026
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Leonardfan
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Truthteller
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Thanks Freethinker, I'll try to post more numbers as I get them. Note, Rams are among the teams that are notoriously cheap when it comes to signing bonuses/guarantees. If you want to play for Rams, which a lot do, you just have to accept less, then collect your rewards if you make the 53 man roster or P-squad.
Piggy backing on Leo's post, here are 3 of the Rams current signing bonuses. As you can see, they really do not overspend for UFA's. Jacksonville and Carolina (expansion brothers from 1995) are on the other side of the spectrum -- they tend to dole large bonus/guarantees.
Syracuse TE Dan Villari $45,000 Bonus $45,000 guarantee
Wile, good point. Shilo Sanders, Deion's son, got a bonus/guarantee of $1,572 (2025). A pair of Rams' 2026 UFA's did not fare much better than Telander (who was drafted) back in 1971. That's 55 years after. Rams are not exactly Free-spenders in UFA market!
Speaking of Telander, I had to google his career (drafted/immediately cut by K.C.). But I remember him saying he was a DB at Northwestern. I used to watch him on the Sports Writers Show, around 1999 or 2000? Well into his 40's, Telander used to be the "young/hip/articulate" one on the show. He was surrounded by 3 or 4 much older writers that used smoke cigars and reminisce about their days watching/covering Babe Ruth, Bronco Nagurski, a young Gordie Howe, ect. There was Jauss, who was pudgy and genial....then there was the "throw-back" Gleason who came off as a Burgess Meredith type -- screaming and smoking non stop.
Nolan C., give me a day or 2. I'm working on answering your question. Can't go as far back as 1970 or even 2010, but I might be able to get some percentages/estimates from the last couple years.
Piggy backing on Leo's post, here are 3 of the Rams current signing bonuses. As you can see, they really do not overspend for UFA's. Jacksonville and Carolina (expansion brothers from 1995) are on the other side of the spectrum -- they tend to dole large bonus/guarantees.
Syracuse TE Dan Villari $45,000 Bonus $45,000 guarantee
North Carolina C Chad Lindberg $15,000 Bonus $15,000 guarantee
Air Force DT Payton Zdroik $9,000 Bonus $9,000 guarantee
Wile, good point. Shilo Sanders, Deion's son, got a bonus/guarantee of $1,572 (2025). A pair of Rams' 2026 UFA's did not fare much better than Telander (who was drafted) back in 1971. That's 55 years after. Rams are not exactly Free-spenders in UFA market!
Fresno State CB Al'Zillion Hamilton, $5,000 Bonus $5,000 guarantee
Minnesota DT Jalen Logan-Redding $3,500 signing bonus, $3,500 guaranteed
Speaking of Telander, I had to google his career (drafted/immediately cut by K.C.). But I remember him saying he was a DB at Northwestern. I used to watch him on the Sports Writers Show, around 1999 or 2000? Well into his 40's, Telander used to be the "young/hip/articulate" one on the show. He was surrounded by 3 or 4 much older writers that used smoke cigars and reminisce about their days watching/covering Babe Ruth, Bronco Nagurski, a young Gordie Howe, ect. There was Jauss, who was pudgy and genial....then there was the "throw-back" Gleason who came off as a Burgess Meredith type -- screaming and smoking non stop.
Nolan C., give me a day or 2. I'm working on answering your question. Can't go as far back as 1970 or even 2010, but I might be able to get some percentages/estimates from the last couple years.
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Leonardfan
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Great info. Appreciate all the work and research you are doing into the UDFA side of the draft especially with the signing bonuses.
The Rams sure have stockpiled TEs. Villari might end up being a Taysom Hill experiment for McVay, certainly worth monitoring.
Truthteller
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First off, thanks to Leonardfan for his detailed lists of draft prospects, every year. Without them, I would have almost no chance to calculate anywhere close to being accurate.
Here you go Nolan. C:
2024 I estimate about 121 of 453 undrafted free agents where White -- about 26.5%
2025 I estimate about 146 of 499 undrafted free agents where White - bit over 29%.
When I type "Estimate" that means I'm not 100% sure of all the players. I simply have no desire to Google two hundred (plus) names to get absolute confirmation. However, going by players names, positions and what I've learned at CF (especially from Leonard Fan, Freethinker, Twenty-Two, Bucky, ect.) I think I have a very good idea who the key Whites are from the college and draft threads. For example, I knew none of these UFA's cornerbacks since 2024, but assume they are 99% black because a rare White would've been covered here at CF. Also, you can almost always tell by names -- Nyzier, Lardarius Jr.; Al'Zillion; DaShawn; DyShawn; Da’Veawn; Keni-H; Chigozie, ect.
About the names, I might get tripped up occasionally, but I think I'm pretty solid here. But you never know -- DE Daniel Grzesiak is actually a Mulatto; While CB Jayden Price and OT Carver Willis (shockingly) turned out to be White. Willis, despite an absolute "throwback" (1960's/1970's) type black name. Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson is a player I might've assumed was black (due to name/position), but I saw him on Leonardfan's list.
2024:
Again, 2024 I estimate about 121 of 453 undrafted free agents where White -- about 26.5%. That's the base number; might be slightly higher. I had a better feel for the class of 2025, as I researched more players***.
I estimate 11 of 67 Wide Receivers were White. All White WR's are out the NFL already, Sam Wiglusz and Drake Stoops are currently in the UFL. Both spent a season on the L.A. Rams practice squad and made $228,000 (SW) and $233,000 (DS) from the Rams.
1 of 48 CB's were White (Jayden Price). 2 of 33 RB's were White (Carson Steele; Cody Schrader). I estimate 1 of 40 safeties were White (Ben Nikkel)
Subtract CB's alone (120/405), you get 29.6% White
Subtract all DB's and RB's you get (117 of 332) about 35% White.
I believe all 16 Specialists were White --6 Punters, 6 Kickers and 4 Long Snappers. Truly stunned the number is this low! Perhaps this is why the NFL has "raided" the spring leagues (since 2019) for kickers and long snappers? Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys), kicker Jake Bates (Lions), ect.
2025:
Again, 2025 I estimate about 146 of 499 undrafted free agents where White. Caculates to about 29%.
That's the base number, might be slightly higher (by 1 or 2 %), as I just counted the names I know are White. I estimate 18 of 95 Wide Receivers were White***.
0 of 53 cornerbacks were White. 2 of 32 RB's were White (Shane Watts; Lan Larison - both Patriots); I estimate 7 of 52 safeties*** were White;
I believe all 17 specialists were White. Again, surprised by the low number of specialists -- I assumed most teams signed at least one punter or kicker. 10 of 11 quarterbacks were White. I estimate 24 of 38 tight ends were White.
Subtract CB's alone (146/446), you get close to 33% White.
Subtract all DB's and RB's you get about 38% White.
Also, "specialists" (PK, P, LS) always Comprise about 6% of NFL rosters; but only about 3% of UFA's signed were "specialists" in 2024 and 2025. Something to consider?
*** Breakdown of 2025 White Undrafted Players: https://castefootball.us/threads/rookie-free-agent-deals.40096/
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