The Texans continue to get younger. The team announced the signing of 12 undrafted free agents:
- OL Myron Cunningham, Arkansas
- DL Damion Daniels, Nebraska
- WR Drew Estrada, Baylor
- DB Jacobi Francis, Memphis
- TE Seth Green, Houston
- DL Troy Hairston, Central Michigan
- LB Jake Hansen, Illinois
- DB Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
- DL Kurt Hinish, Notre Dame
- WR Johnny Johnson III, Oregon
- DB Tristin McCollum, Sam Houston State
- DL Adedayo Odeleye, International Player Pathway Program (story)
Green could have a chance to contribute on a shallow tight ends depth chart. After transferring from Minnesota to Houston, Green saw a larger role on offense, hauling in 13 receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll likely compete with rookie fifth-round pick Teagan Quitoriano for reps alongside Brevin Jordan.
With all the UDFA’s signed by EVERY team, it points to the current 7 round draft as being woefully inadequate for the game in today’s environment and is also unfair to the UDFA players as teams give retention preference to players on whom they have invested a DRAFT CHOICE. Time to elevate the draft to 10 or 12 Rounds.
But undrafted free agents usually get a choice of where to play (or at least a few teams talking to them), while drafted players don’t.
If I was able to make the kind of money referenced below, even for a couple of years, I’d gladly go to whichever team drafted me. What about YOU?? Players with two or fewer accrued NFL seasons earn at least $9,200 per week, which equals $165,600 for 18 weeks spent on the practice squad. (A player accrues a season when they are on full-time pay status for at least six regular-season games). Players with more than two accrued seasons make a minimum of $14K per week and $252K for the whole season. For comparison, the minimum salary for a rookie on an active roster this season is $660K.
No one wants that. Most of these guys are training camp bodies who will be lucky to make a practice squad.
If that is Really the case, why not just eliminate the draft entirely? Because the draft is a way of ensuring equity between high revenue and low revenue teams. Yet in signing UDFA’s teams are already and consistently violating the “spirit” of signing undrafted players by escalating the size of contracts and bonus’ paid to the UDFA they “REALLY” want. Just easier an fairer to to all to expand the number of rounds in the draft.
Glad Jake Hansen got a shot. Wherever the ball is that’s where Jake will be.