2024 Jets UDFA signings

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by NCJetsfan, Apr 27, 2024.

  1. jetophile

    jetophile Bruce Coslet's Daughter

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2004
    Messages:
    15,209
    Likes Received:
    8,609
    Who dressed him, lol.

     
    NCJetsfan likes this.
  2. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2013
    Messages:
    36,684
    Likes Received:
    30,193
    From Heavy.com:
    https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/new-york-jets/eric-watts-turning-heads-nfl-practice/

    Jets Earned Incredibly High Praise for Its Work on the UDFA Market
    Jason Fitzgerald from Over The Cap explained that the average number of UDFAs to sign to an NFL team this offseason was 12.5 players. Three NFL teams in particular went above and beyond to bring some new talent in with the Baltimore Ravens (24), Los Angeles Chargers (21), and the Jets (20).

    [​IMG]

    Jason_OTC
    @Jason_OTC
    ·Follow
    The median number of UDFA’s signed per team so far is 12.5. Ravens lead the NFL with 24 signings, followed by the Chargers with 21 and the Jets with 20.

    8:31 am · 11 May 2024
    92Reply
    Read 5 replies


    The Jets didn’t just attack quantity after the draft, they also got credit for the quality of players they were able to bring in.

    Thor Nystrom of Fantasy Pros ranked every UDFA class in the league following the draft. During that exercise, he placed the Jets at No. 2 on his power rankings.

    “I may not have been in love with the Jets’ decisions during the draft itself, but boy did they slaughter the UDFA process. New York signed three prospects inside my pre-draft top-153, and a fourth who I gave a draftable grade. They were edged out by the Chiefs for [the] top UDFA class in my metrics by the slimmest of fractional margins. I am most bullish on EDGE Eric Watts, who started three-of-four active seasons at UConn (the Huskies canceled their 2020 season due to COVID). Watts is not a finished product – but he has measurables that portend to NFL success, and his tape is dotted with flash plays both as a defender and as a special-teamer,” Nystrom explained. “He posted 22.5 TFL over the last three seasons, and, over the last two campaigns, had nine sacks, two blocked field goals, and a blocked punt. On the measurable side, Watts was close to tops in the EDGE class in three very important categories: 40, vertical, and arm length.”
     
  3. Ralebird

    Ralebird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2012
    Messages:
    14,624
    Likes Received:
    9,049
    Self-appointed experts reviewing undistinguished nobodies leaves me cold. They're all just prospects and the only way to rate them is on an NFL field with the clock running. I don't believe the team that found two keepers out of ten UFAs did any worse than the team that finds two keepers out of twenty.
     
  4. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2013
    Messages:
    36,684
    Likes Received:
    30,193
    That's certainly fair and reasonable. Jason is great with tracking the salary cap for teams and players, but that doesn't mean that he has any special talent assessment skills. I posted it for the data on how many UDFAs the Jets signed as compared to other teams and for the Watts stats.
     
  5. Jets79

    Jets79 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2020
    Messages:
    3,000
    Likes Received:
    5,881
    It’s easy to get excited about stuff like this until you stop and realize that hey, 32 teams all passed on all of the guys…multiple times. They went undrafted.

    That being said, I think for some odd reason, as much as our draft history pretty much sucks balls, it feels like we’ve done better than most with undrafted players. Off the top of my head, we’ve had great success with guys like Wayne Chrebet, Brandon Moore (I think that’s his name, the guard from back in the Sanchez day), more recently Bryce Huff…all those guys were very good players, and I may be missing more.

    So yeah, if we get anyone from this class it wouldn’t shock me…
     
  6. dmw

    dmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,862
    Likes Received:
    2,429
    This coaching staff has a good track record coaching up defensive players. For example, Bryce Huff, Quincy Williams and others. I wouldn't be surprised if they develop 1 or 2 of these defensive UDFAs into important roles on the team.
     
    NCJetsfan likes this.
  7. LAJet

    LAJet Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2003
    Messages:
    9,238
    Likes Received:
    12,386
    I think JD has done admirably well with UDFs, so there is that. I have no doubt we will again hit on a gem or two
     
    NCJetsfan, Nyjets4eva and mezzavo like this.
  8. mezzavo

    mezzavo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2002
    Messages:
    5,273
    Likes Received:
    1,935
    Ditto...

    It's surprising their effectiveness with these players but can't seem to hit, for the most part, with our regular draft. I guess everyone has to be good at something. Maybe JD should attack the draft like it's one big UDFA exercise. lol!

    The "fun" aside, they are quite good at it and it's the ONLY reason, barring a total 2-15 season, this tandem will be back as long as they are competitive. The UDFA's, for me, are the best part of the game.
     
    LAJet likes this.
  9. Jonathan_Vilma

    Jonathan_Vilma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2004
    Messages:
    33,176
    Likes Received:
    31,994
    Worth a crack but I doubt he makes the roster. Return specialist or not, I don’t see how your return specialist isn’t a WR or corner based merely on the fact that Cohen can’t really do anything but return punts and kicks.
     
  10. Jets79

    Jets79 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2020
    Messages:
    3,000
    Likes Received:
    5,881
    Yeah I thought it was interesting that he signed with us…our RB room is crowded already…probably only keep what, 3 or maybe 4 guys? That’s Breece, two draft picks probably both make it, so you’re competing with Israel for that 4th spot i guess…or maybe one of the draft picks goes to the practice squad…I guess if you are looking to make the roster as a RB and then can also return kicks that may be a plus

    But yah, I was thinking if I were him, I’d probably look to sign with a team that didn’t just draft 2 backs
     
    NCJetsfan likes this.
  11. abyzmul

    abyzmul R.J. MacReady, 21018 Funniest Member Award Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2003
    Messages:
    52,246
    Likes Received:
    24,012
    Seems like this guy and Izzy On The Field will be a camp battle.
     
  12. dmw

    dmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,862
    Likes Received:
    2,429
    What % of draft picks hit and what % of UDFA signings hit? I bet the draft pick % is much higher.
     
    mezzavo likes this.
  13. BrowningNagle

    BrowningNagle Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2003
    Messages:
    26,994
    Likes Received:
    28,079
    Cohen is a long shot. But, a 5'6 from North Carolina A&T, to 1,500 all purpose yards with the Chicago Bears, he's definetely comfortable overachieving as a long shot
     
  14. IDFjet

    IDFjet Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2014
    Messages:
    3,781
    Likes Received:
    2,808
    Ya--he was pushing Jordan Howard for playing time at one point if my memory serves. Definitely happy to see him get a shot.
     
  15. mezzavo

    mezzavo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2002
    Messages:
    5,273
    Likes Received:
    1,935
    That's a good question. Let me go do some digging. I think we have a pretty decent hit rate on the UDFA's but how that relates to the draft, in comparison, should prove interesting. Back with answers...
     
  16. Jonathan_Vilma

    Jonathan_Vilma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2004
    Messages:
    33,176
    Likes Received:
    31,994
    I mean it should be way higher. The fact that it’s even a question shows how bad of a drafting franchise we historically are.
     
    abyzmul likes this.
  17. Ralebird

    Ralebird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2012
    Messages:
    14,624
    Likes Received:
    9,049
    If anyone's actually going to research this I think the last round is a better comparison to UDFAs than the entire draft (including blue chips, elites, future HOFers, etc.) because the seventh rounders got passed over almost as much as the free agents
     
  18. Frenbar

    Frenbar Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2010
    Messages:
    1,469
    Likes Received:
    1,146
    Still remains to be seen how the new kickoff rules play out, they are drastically different. You definitely need two returners out there, so I think its worth a flier on Cohen to see if he is healthy and has something to add to the kick return game where he has proven to be very good in the past.
     

Share This Page