2017 Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Tracker Thread (UPDATED 5/16)

[DC9]

7 hours ago, NickyJ said:

I hope Fish Smithson makes the cut. I have no idea who he is, but that name in itself makes him deserving.

 

Sprinkle was in my "cool name pool," but now we have to hate Taco and it would've just been too perfect to expect Budda to fall to us in the 2nd round, I guess.

[NickyJ]

10 minutes ago, DC9 said:

 

Sprinkle was in my "cool name pool," but now we have to hate Taco and it would've just been too perfect to expect Budda to fall to us in the 2nd round, I guess.

Fish, Taco, Sprinkle, Budda, and Butt. Dream team right there.

[Est.1974]

Seems like the UDU receiver impressed at his pro day. Coward was the one from ODU linked to us at the time. 

 

Read somewhere Pascal could have gone as high as the 5th round.

[Morneblade]

6 hours ago, Califan007 said:

 

Damn.

 

It happens, and it really is a serious business, certainly even more so now than when I went. One in which you are completely disposable and as a 18 year old kid, completely unprepared for. I was at a D1 school as a walk on (no scholarship) in a high level conference and and a big time school at the time, but I was making some waves. My dad had gotten his PhD there and as it turned out, had tutored the then OC in Math (he would later go one to become the HC and win the first BCS National Championship that was designed to pit #1 vs #2, so he had some pull), I wasn't big (5'11, 185) but had good speed for a white boy (4.4 40 on grass) and had really good hands and ran routes well. Typical white receiver, other than the speed and a little shake and bake.  As a freshman that had not been recruited, I knew I had a lot to learn, and had to show the coaches very quickly what I could do or I would not even be on the depth chart. And had been showing that I could be a guy that would catch anything close to me, would block, and could do more than be a possession receiver. I then dislocated my ankle badly near the end of spring ball after getting rolled up by a safety.

 

I was cut from the program that day.

 

it was Incredibly hearbreaking, as I had been born in the city the school is in, my Dad got his PhD from there, and I spent my first several years of my life basically living on the campus (Dad was a grad student, and I went a lot of places with him there). It was my dream to play there, to go back the field I once stood on as a 5 year old. I still have those old pics of me and my little brother on the track. It was really my first home. I played with several future NFL players while I was there, one of them even won a SB with a  hated rival, but then played a couple years with the Redskins. But being just completely discarded like a worthless commodity was completely devastating for a 18 year old kid, especially one so emotionally involved with the program and I was not prepared for it. I spiraled out of control. Drank myself out of the University and had to transfer out. Never played ball again, could not stay away from booze enough nor could I keep my class attendence remotely high enough. Went through a very dark time. Finally got sober though. But I'm still paying for my reactions from that happened 30 years ago. I'm back in school this year, with the support of my wife, and feel like I'm actually doing it for me for once. But it was tough to get in, because my what I did 30 years ago still follows me, and most schools won't give me a shot. As it was, I was taking on as a probationary student at a University in which she is a Professor.

 

This was really hard to write. I don't even know why I did. Maybe all the painkillers I'm doped up on, who knows. As it was, 2 paragraphs took over 2 hours.

 

As for who it was, I'd rather not say. Some, that know my posting history may have already figured it out.  But to mention them means that I have to tell people that team that meant everything to mean crushed my dreams like they were nothing. Like I was nothing. And that is not a easy thing to deal with. Even 30 years later.

 

 

[Morneblade]

3 hours ago, Califan007 said:

 

“Either the Bears know something no one else in the league knows, or that draft just got a lot of people fired only they don’t know it yet,” another exec told La Canfora.

 

Buuuut, they did sign that undrafted free agent Coward, so all's good. *thumbsup*

 

At least he's a NT, which we don't even have.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

5 hours ago, Morneblade said:

This was really hard to write. I don't even know why I did. Maybe all the painkillers I'm doped up on, who knows. As it was, 2 paragraphs took over 2 hours.

 

As for who it was, I'd rather not say. Some, that know my posting history may have already figured it out.  But to mention them means that I have to tell people that team that meant everything to mean crushed my dreams like they were nothing. Like I was nothing. And that is not a easy thing to deal with. Even 30 years later.

 

 

 

Jeebus...I don't even know what to say here. I can't even jokingly insult any of your posts anymore lol...much respect for sharing that, though. Between this and your IV story (lol), you're one tough SOB. You also have me rooting for Pipkins to make the team now lol...

 

 

4 hours ago, Morneblade said:

 

At least he's a NT, which we don't even have.

 

Very true, you're right...(see? lol...can't do it)

[justice98]

They really seen to love WRs.

[Stefanskins]

14 hours ago, thesubmittedone said:

 

I'll see myself out.  

 

ummm naw...I'll walk you out....just to make sure....and lock the door... ; )

[Stefanskins]

5 hours ago, Morneblade said:

 

And that is not a easy thing to deal with. Even 30 years later.

 

 

1

Great job Morne!! Keep it up....hard to do...I know that dark place very well...HTTR!!!

[clskinsfan]

5 hours ago, Morneblade said:

ike I was nothing. And that is not a easy thing to deal with. Even 30 years later.

 

You really should have gone in to coaching Blade. I had a VERY similar experience in College ball myself. Coaching football has allowed me to stay in football. It isnt too late man. There are TONS of Pop Warner and High School teams looking for guys like you who love the game.

[ThomasRoane]

1 hour ago, justice98 said:

They really seem to love TALL WRs.

 

Fixed it for ya.  If nothing else by God we will be able to complete fades this year! 

 

I actually think drafting taller receivers is a great benefit for two reasons.

 

1) They are typically better as run blockers

2) They don't have to possess blazing speed; there are usually only a few speedsters and they almost always have hamstring issues. 

[CommDownMan]

9 hours ago, NickyJ said:

Fish, Taco, Sprinkle, Budda, and Butt. Dream team right there.

 Butt sprinkle in 2te sets.  Has a ring to it.

[CTskin]

7 hours ago, Morneblade said:

 

At least he's a NT, which we don't even have.

Decent NTs were slim picking in this draft and the Giants and Chiefs reached for two of the few NTs that ESers were targeting. It'd be one thing if the draft was chalk full of stud and NTs and we continuously passed them over, but that just wasn't the case. Sure we could have grabbed Stevie Tu'ikolovatu late, but he's far from any sort of guaranteed pro. 

 

I agreed with you 100% about our DL FA acquisitions and how that money could have been better spent, but with the overwhelming success of this draft combined with the serious lack of NT talent, I can't fault the FO at all... well, aside from the Montae Nicholson pick. 

[DC9]

1 hour ago, jsharrin55 said:

 Butt sprinkle in 2te sets.  Has a ring to it.

 

I mean, if Sprinkle scores a late TD that punchline writes itself... Hopefully Larry Michael doesn't ruin it immediately. 

14 minutes ago, CTskin said:

Decent NTs were slim picking in this draft and the Giants and Chiefs reached for two of the few NTs that ESers were targeting. It'd be one thing if the draft was chalk full of stud and NTs and we continuously passed them over, but that just wasn't the case. Sure we could have grabbed Stevie Tu'ikolovatu late, but he's far from any sort of guaranteed pro. 

 

I agreed with you 100% about our DL FA acquisitions and how that money could have been better spent, but with the overwhelming success of this draft combined with the serious lack of NT talent, I can't fault the FO at all... well, aside from the Montae Nicholson pick. 

 

Remember how many folks said our O-line sucked... and there were a lot of us who disagreed.

 

Then magically Bill Callahan showed up (and ahem... there was a switch at QB) and magically the o-line was better.

 

I think there is a lot of truth to coaching technique.  We have the two best "trenches," coaches in the business in Tomsula and Callahan.  Hopefully that pays off for our d-line.

 

Did the kid from Hamtpon we were looking at as a NT get picked in the draft or signed yet?  I didn't see.

[Burgold]

11 hours ago, NickyJ said:

Fish, Taco, Sprinkle, Budda, and Butt. Dream team right there.

From now on, you can have your taco Tuesday, but you can not have a taco Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and (just to play it safe) Saturday. 

[CTskin]

9 minutes ago, DC9 said:

Remember how many folks said our O-line sucked... and there were a lot of us who disagreed.

 

Then magically Bill Callahan showed up (and ahem... there was a switch at QB) and magically the o-line was better.

 

I think there is a lot of truth to coaching technique.  We have the two best "trenches," coaches in the business in Tomsula and Callahan.  Hopefully that pays off for our d-line.

 

The Scherff pick also helped the talent level quite a bit. But, I agree about the Callahan effect- Moses and Long both looked like they were on backup career paths and now look at them; one's a respectable starter and the other is a top rated RT.

 

So, if Tomsula has a similar effect on the DL where two out of the four between Lanier, Ioannidis, McGee, and McClain take the next step, we're looking at a pretty decent bunch. 

[Morneblade]

5 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

 

You really should have gone in to coaching Blade. I had a VERY similar experience in College ball myself. Coaching football has allowed me to stay in football. It isnt too late man. There are TONS of Pop Warner and High School teams looking for guys like you who love the game.

 

 Thanks, but I can't. I just can't do it. I'm glad my brother has daughters that play field hockey and soccer so I can just be a Uncle and cheer them on, and make sure they are having fun out there. Not chasing a dream. Just playing a hobby that they enjoy that has some perks. Like physical fitness, working together towards a common goal, and managing relationships.

 

Besides. Enough people around here tell me I don't know enough about the modern game or how I wouldn't know talent if it hit me in the face to want to go and have some dude in his Lexus get in my face and yell about why little Timmy isn't starting. I'm just not that much of a people person.

[Morneblade]

2 hours ago, DC9 said:

 

I think there is a lot of truth to coaching technique.  We have the two best "trenches," coaches in the business in Tomsula and Callahan.  Hopefully that pays off for our d-line.

 

Did the kid from Hamtpon we were looking at as a NT get picked in the draft or signed yet?  I didn't see.

 

There is truth in coaching. Maybe the biggest truth that isn't the scheme itself, but being able to get it across in such as way that the player understands it and it makes sense to him. That's tough, because not everyone is going to get it the same way.

[Burgold]

I think this is something that gets me excited. For many years, we never saw players improve. After their first year, they plateaued. So many guys never realized their potential. We're seeing some signs of that changing. Maybe the reason we never found those late round gems is because our coaches were not good teachers or didn't focus on it enough.

 

For the first time in a while, we're starting to see players grow. Long and Moses are prime examples, but Crowder, Harris, and other s have improved on the O side. One of the reasons that I wanted Barry out was not just his inability to outscheme anyone or address an exposed weakness, but that so many players got worse under him. Even Kerrigan fell apart last year. His sack numbers may have been okay, but he'd always been strong against the run before. Last year, he overpursued a lot and got caught way too often out of position. Some of that was the talent around him, but you need at least two hands to count the number of players who regressed on defense.

 

Hopefully, Tomsula begins a reversal on the line and our new DBs guy helps guys recover what they lost (Breeland) or maximize who they can become (rookies).

[Morneblade]

15 hours ago, Califan007 said:

 

“Either the Bears know something no one else in the league knows, or that draft just got a lot of people fired only they don’t know it yet,” another exec told La Canfora.

 

Buuuut, they did sign that undrafted free agent Coward, so all's good. *thumbsup*

 

At least they are not Buffalo.

[Morneblade]

3 hours ago, CTskin said:

Decent NTs were slim picking in this draft and the Giants and Chiefs reached for two of the few NTs that ESers were targeting. It'd be one thing if the draft was chalk full of stud and NTs and we continuously passed them over, but that just wasn't the case. Sure we could have grabbed Stevie Tu'ikolovatu late, but he's far from any sort of guaranteed pro. 

 

I agreed with you 100% about our DL FA acquisitions and how that money could have been better spent, but with the overwhelming success of this draft combined with the serious lack of NT talent, I can't fault the FO at all... well, aside from the Montae Nicholson pick. 

 

I know, there were not a ton of NT's in the draft. But, we need one, and we didn't have to go and spend a high round pick on one that likely would be a starter. That's how bad our situation is. Look at it this way, even if playing in our base is "situational". What gets you more value, spending a 6th round pick on a developmental WR that might not even make the first round of cuts, or spend it on a guy that is probably going to see 30% of your total defensive snaps? Qualls and Jones were 6th round picks, and Stevie T was a 7th rounder. You can't sit there and tell me you're going to get more value out of ANOTHER 6'3 WR that is going to be like 6th on the depth chart than a guy that is actually going to start.

[Voice_of_Reason]

15 hours ago, Califan007 said:

 

“Either the Bears know something no one else in the league knows, or that draft just got a lot of people fired only they don’t know it yet,” another exec told La Canfora.

 

Buuuut, they did sign that undrafted free agent Coward, so all's good. *thumbsup*

I wonder what part of the draft John Fox played.  Because he doesn't strike me as a guy who is quite that ... stupid?

[Morneblade]

7 hours ago, Califan007 said:

 

Jeebus...I don't even know what to say here. I can't even jokingly insult any of your posts anymore lol...much respect for sharing that, though. Between this and your IV story (lol), you're one tough SOB. You also have me rooting for Pipkins to make the team now lol...

 

 

 

Very true, you're right...(see? lol...can't do it)

 

Nah, go ahead a joke. Everyone needs to laugh some

[TSO]

Just watched the Catalina video. 

 

Not the greatest feet in the world, but man when he gets his hands on you. And he's got a good enough feel for things to get himself in position even with his slower footwork. 

 

But, yeah, punishing. That was fun to watch, actually. Dude is mean, lol. 

[JPG]

With Marley's relative on the teams. I don't want one damn suspension because of the ganja!