(09-05-2017 07:51 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  It is actually easier to get cut as a 6th/7th round draft pick than it is an undrafted free agent. Undrafted free agents receive a three year contract at the league minimum salary. The 6th/7th round pick will get about a $100K more a year plus a signing bonus. Therefore, many teams will cut the low draft pick over the UFA's if there is not a distinguishable difference to get the savings on the salary cap.

(09-05-2017 07:51 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  It is actually easier to get cut as a 6th/7th round draft pick than it is an undrafted free agent. Undrafted free agents receive a three year contract at the league minimum salary. The 6th/7th round pick will get about a $100K more a year plus a signing bonus. Therefore, many teams will cut the low draft pick over the UFA's if there is not a distinguishable difference to get the savings on the salary cap.

(09-05-2017 07:01 PM)digibrink Wrote:  So just by being drafted you make a little income via signing bonus?

Quote:Here's how much money players lose when they fall in the NFL Draft
Cork Gaines and Diana Yukari
Apr. 27, 2017, 2:42 PM

In the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, players and agents jockey for position to be one of the top picks in the draft and cash in with a lucrative contract. This is immensely important because if a player slips in the draft, they stand to lose millions.

Last year's top pick, Jared Goff, signed a contract worth $27.9 million, while the 12th pick received less than half of that at 12.8 million. In addition, only players in the first round received contracts that were at least 70% guaranteed.

Things really drop in the second round, where the average contract was worth about $5.1 million over four years ($1.3 million per year), according to Spotrac.com, but with only half of that guaranteed. The value of third-round contracts drops to $3.3 million, but takes an even bigger hit in guaranteed value, with the average contract worth just $756,000 in guaranteed money.

Once a player falls past the third round, most draft picks will sign a 4-year deal in the $2.4-2.9 million range. The only major difference late in the draft is the signing bonus, ranging from $400,000-600,000 in the fourth round to slightly more than $60,000 in the seventh round.

Quote:.....Just as there are significant differences between undrafted free agents and tryout players, there are significant differences between undrafted free agents and drafted players.

Undrafted free agents sign three-year contracts for the rookie minimum, which starts at $465,000 annually. The minimum salary has built-in increases each year, so a player like Tennessee State offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker, who signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent, will sign a three-year, $1.665 million contract.

That contract doesn't look much different than what a late-round pick will sign. The Giants picked offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty in the sixth round (No. 200 overall). Bisnowaty will sign a four-year contract worth approximately $2.5 million. So, Bisnowaty's annual average salary will be approximately $625,000 compared to $555,000 for Dunker.

The catch is that Dunker will likely only receive a nominal a signing bonus in the $5-10,000 range. Bisnowaty, meanwhile, will be guaranteed more than $147,000 from his signing bonus...

Quote:...During rookie minicamps, teams provide players with food, lodging and a nominal per diem. Even during training camp, players receive relatively modest compensation: $1,075 per week for every rookie and $1,900 per week for every veteran.

The key for every NFL player is to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, because they are only paid their salary during the regular season. For every week a player is on the roster, he receives 1/17th of his salary ($27,352 for a player on a minimum contract).

(09-05-2017 08:12 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(09-05-2017 07:51 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  It is actually easier to get cut as a 6th/7th round draft pick than it is an undrafted free agent. Undrafted free agents receive a three year contract at the league minimum salary. The 6th/7th round pick will get about a $100K more a year plus a signing bonus. Therefore, many teams will cut the low draft pick over the UFA's if there is not a distinguishable difference to get the savings on the salary cap.

Exactly...

(09-05-2017 08:09 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(09-05-2017 08:12 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(09-05-2017 07:51 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  It is actually easier to get cut as a 6th/7th round draft pick than it is an undrafted free agent. Undrafted free agents receive a three year contract at the league minimum salary. The 6th/7th round pick will get about a $100K more a year plus a signing bonus. Therefore, many teams will cut the low draft pick over the UFA's if there is not a distinguishable difference to get the savings on the salary cap.

Exactly...

No, not really, at least if we are talking generically. I don't have the data handy, but I am very confident that a higher %age of 6th rounders and 7th rounders make the opening day rosters than do undrafted free agents.

But it's certainly possible that a specific player in a specific situation might be better off going undrafted than being a 7th round pick like if he's going to a team that is already stocked at his postion. Burfict is a guy who is probably lucky that he wasn't drafted in the 7th round by a team other than the Bengals. He had an existing relationship with Marvin and then later after he had proven his value, he was eligible to sign his 2nd contract (e.g. typically the big money one) after 3 years rather than waiting 4 years if he'd have been drafted in R7.