Undrafted free agent tracker 2026

[Freethinker]

Thanks for the update, Leo. His school's Sports Information Department was congratulating him for signing Saturday night. I guess they were "promoting" (exaggerating) for recruiting purposes?

I wonder how many "try-out" players ever make it onto 53 man rosters in the NFL? My guess is the percentage is very low..perhaps less than 3 percent? If even that... perhaps one percent? I can't name one?

Last year 499 UFA's were signed; 257 drafted. That's 756 players signed to NFL contracts in 2025. 66% percent of all players signed were not drafted. That's good for the NFLPA, I suppose, which would probably love to get rid of the draft altogether?



Not a surprise Hallock got his chance with Chargers. I expected he'd be headed to the Chargers to reunite with O'Leary. Seems like he's in perfect spot, except he could not even secure a standard UFA spot? Makes him a long-shot. Perhaps his agent should start talking to CFL teams, if he wants to extend his football career? Then try to do the Alex Singleton "thing" -- use the CFL to get back to the NFL!

*****


I agree with that. I assumed Carver Willis was black yesterday, so my count was 71 Whites drafted. After seeing Willis' photo at NFL.com. I raised the number up to 72.

Below is some more info regarding signing bonuses and guarantees. Rookies make a bit over $200,000 on practice squads. So a player with a guarantee over $200,000 is pretty much a P-squad lock. Also, higher bonuses and guarantees means players were more highly sought after. Simple law of Supply/Demand?


West Weeks Indianapolis Colts, Linebacker, $38,000 signing bonus $284,500 guaranteed
Ryan Schernecke (<link) New York Giants, Tackle $35,000 signing bonus, $282,500 guaranteed Division II, 6'7", 300 lbs.***
Caden Barnett Chicago Bears, Guard 30,000 signing bonus, $277,500 guaranteed***
Paul Rubelt Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tackle, $30,000 signing bonus, $277,500 guaranteed (European)***
Tanner Arkin New England Patriots, Tight End $17,500 signing bonus, $272,500 guaranteed
Lander Barton Los Angeles Chargers, Linebacker $17,000 signing bonus $264,500 guaranteed
Josh Gesky Green Bay Packers, Guard $15,000 signing bonus $215,000 guaranteed***
Luke Wysong Minnesota Vikings, Wide Receiver $60,000 signing bonus $60,000 guaranteed
Jack Pyburn Tampa Bay Buccaneers, defensive end $15,000 signing bonus, $115,000 guaranteed
Max Tomczak Buffalo Bills, Wide Receiver $30,000 signing bonus, $45,000 guaranteed
Ben Barten New York Giants, Defensive Tackle $2,500 signing bonus, $2,500 guaranteed
Noah Short Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wide Receiver $1,000 signing bonus, $1,000 guaranteed

***Tall, little-known White offensive tackles and tough as steel White guards are doing quite well (financially) as UFA's. Without the Caste system, one could say they would've been slam-dunk picks!

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.

 

[Leonardfan]

Rams Official UDFA Signings

Vanderbilt OT Bryce Henderson
Syracuse TE Dan Villari
Texas QB Matthew Caldwell
Air Force DT Payton Zdroik
Wake Forest DB Nick Andersen
North Carolina OL Austin Blaske
North Carolina C Chad Lindberg
Houston RB Dean Connors

 

[Truthteller]

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

North Carolina C Chad Lindberg $15,000 Bonus $15,000 guarantee​

Air Force DT Payton Zdroik $9,000 Bonus $9,000 guarantee​

If my old man's memory serves me well enough the old Chicago Sun Times sports writer Telander was drafted by Hank Stram out of Northwestern as a CB in 71 and he wrangled I think a $5000 signing bonus. FTR Telander tip toed into forbidden territory when some White kid got shafted out of HS. I doubt he went too far since wiki says he is still in the game as a sports writer.

Anyway from reading the above posts some of the bonus money paid out has not kept up with inflation.

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.

Sorry if I missed it and this has been posted earlier... has anyone documented the % of UDFA signings who are white? Would be an interesting data point to analyze YoY.

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.

 

[Leonardfan]

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

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.

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.