The 2023 NFL Draft is finally over after seven intense rounds of selecting young players, but teams still have a way of adding new talents, find out the meaning UDFA in this aspect
Every year, every NFL franchise gets three days of opportunity to add new and fresh talents at a low cost.
Meaning behind UDFA in football following the successful end of the 2023 NFL Draft
NAIA School, McPherson RB Jonathan White has been in contact with the #Ravens since before Pro Day, per source. The two sides have been in touch and plan on either an invite to rookie Mimi camp or signing as an UDFA.
White rushed for 1,437 yards and 12 TDs on 185 attempts… pic.twitter.com/5v5e9DFD03
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) April 24, 2023
Patriots were quick, and the first to strike into the UDFA pool, signing Louisville QB Malik Cunnigham.
Had a good arm along with fantastic athleticism and speed. Has hailed comparisons to the league’s NOW highest paid player, former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson 👀 pic.twitter.com/xes9kVoCGv
— Dom (@DomDoesNFL) April 30, 2023
The NFL Draft offers an alternative way to free agency for franchises to secure cheaper signings and strengthen their squads.
NFL 2023 Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft has been an event full of surprises right from the very beginning. Some things however, panned out exactly as expected like the Carolina Panthers securing Bryce Young with the first overall pick. The Houston Texans also secured the obvious choice of C.J. Stroud.
Aside from the first round, teams can end up securing hidden gems even in the later rounds. A perfect example of this is Tom Brady who was the 199th pick in 1999 who is now called the NFL GOAT.
This year, although there were a total of 259 picks made, there are still lot of players coming out of college and waiting to get drafted. Luckily for NFL franchises and those players, there is still a short 3-day period for teams to sign players brining the term UDFA into effect.
Meaning of UDFA
The meaning behind the term UDFA (Undrafted Free Agent) refers to undrafted rookies who are free to sign with any team that they want. Fans should however, not confuse UDFA with the UFA which stands for unrestricted free agent and refers to NFL players who are free to sign with any team without restrictions following the expiration of their contracts.
While UFA refers to free agency, the UDFA refers to rookie free agency, which begins right after the draft ends. During this period, NFL prospects that weren’t selected during the draft process, can negotiate with any team without limitations. Players also have the chance to secure deals that they like the most depending on their demands. As such, some players, who are still available in the seventh round prefer not to undergo the draft process. This is because they would have better chances of choosing better deals afterwards.
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