These Teams Show How Crucial NFL Undrafted Free Agency Is
By Erik Lambert
People love to put so much emphasis on the draft and its importance. In truth it might be NFL undrafted free agency that is more important.
That is where the scouts and front office executives really earn their money. Teams who can find not only decent players but actual stars after the draft can often mean the difference between playoff contender and Super Bowl champion. Fans of course might scoff at this. Sure the undrafted part is important but it doesn’t mean much if a team doesn’t draft right.
That’s easy to say but the reality says otherwise. There are several recent championship teams whom would be left wonder about their fates had they not scored a few big successes on the undrafted market. Two in particular really spring to mind from the past couple years.
Denver Broncos
Von Miller was the star of the show in 2015, a former #2 overall pick. What many forget is he got huge assists from two guys who never even heard their names called. The first was star cornerback Chris Harris Jr., undrafted out of Kansas. The other was running back C.J. Anderson, undrafted out of Cal.
Would Miller have enjoyed his shining moment without Anderson scoring the go-ahead TD against Pittsburgh in the divisional round? Or what about the huge interception return for a touchdown Harris had against Oakland, sealing a 16-10 victory that gave the Broncos home field advantage? Nobody remembers that stuff but it’s further proof that great teams are build on the labor of undrafted guys.
Seattle Seahawks
Then there’s the team Denver ironically lost to a few years prior in 2013. No team has taken a more in-depth approach to scouring undrafted free agency than the Seahawks. They’ve acquired a number of productive players for their roster from that avenue. This including a number of key stars who shined in their Super Bowl victory that year.
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There was Michael Bennett, the eventual Pro Bowl defensive end. His two big sacks and two forced fumbles were crucial in the playoff wins over the Saints and 49ers. Then there was receiver Doug Baldwin. He delivered a 37-yard catch in the Super Bowl to set up a 1st quarter field goal and then a touchdown catch in the 4th quarter to put the game away.
NFL undrafted free agency is proof positive that nothing is a guarantee when it comes to the draft itself. Good players always find a way to slip through the cracks. Teams that take advantage of it tend to be the ones who prosper the most. Seattle and Denver prove this.