Bomber Free Agents

Pete · December 19, 2024, 10:30:37 PM

Quote from: markf on December 18, 2024, 10:17:04 PMI have a theory that USFL and other lower league players have a better chance of signing with the NFL cause the coaches, and management, and players representatives have ties, and dealings, that do not exist between CFL staff and NFL

So.... "In just two seasons, the USFL has shown it can help players get to the NFL. The USFL has seen more than 320 players land workouts with NFL teams, with more than 100 NFL contracts signed."

Could be wrong though.

i think its younger prospects that first turn to usfl etc. in order to get that nfl look. once they hit 26 or older then the cfl becomes a more viable option.

Stats Junkie · December 20, 2024, 05:27:38 AM

Quote from: markf on December 18, 2024, 10:17:04 PMI have a theory that USFL and other lower league players have a better chance of signing with the NFL cause the coaches, and management, and players representatives have ties, and dealings, that do not exist between CFL staff and NFL

So.... "In just two seasons, the USFL has shown it can help players get to the NFL. The USFL has seen more than 320 players land workouts with NFL teams, with more than 100 NFL contracts signed."

Could be wrong though.

I believe that the nature of the spring leagues (UFL,USFL,XFL or whatever they are called now) allows for an easier transition to the NFL. Those leagues were designed as auditions for the NFL and come with the opportunity to transfer to the NFL (not CFL).

The spring leagues conclude prior to NFL training camp which allows those players to immediately compete for jobs for a full training camp - yes, NFL politics still gets in the way.

The CFL season overlaps with the NFL season for several months, especially if you include NFL training camps. Any player on a CFL roster at the end of the season can attend tryouts (with permission from his CFL team) but he cannot play in the NFL during the current season.

Many CFL players only get a 1 or 2 day tryout on the side and decisions have to made on that. When CFL players sign futures contracts with NFL teams, the players have to weigh the costs of missing half a season or more of CFL action if the NFL opportunity fails.

theaardvark · December 20, 2024, 03:25:59 PM

Quote from: Stats Junkie on December 20, 2024, 05:27:38 AMI believe that the nature of the spring leagues (UFL,USFL,XFL or whatever they are called now) allows for an easier transition to the NFL. Those leagues were designed as auditions for the NFL and come with the opportunity to transfer to the NFL (not CFL).

The spring leagues conclude prior to NFL training camp which allows those players to immediately compete for jobs for a full training camp - yes, NFL politics still gets in the way.

The CFL season overlaps with the NFL season for several months, especially if you include NFL training camps. Any player on a CFL roster at the end of the season can attend tryouts (with permission from his CFL team) but he cannot play in the NFL during the current season.

Many CFL players only get a 1 or 2 day tryout on the side and decisions have to made on that. When CFL players sign futures contracts with NFL teams, the players have to weigh the costs of missing half a season or more of CFL action if the NFL opportunity fails.

If they sign a futures contract, they should get some guaranteed money in the deal, and that can be more than what they'd make in the time missed in the CFL.. makes the decision easier. Its the TC invites that can be a debate over potential versus real CFL money... but every football player will take the NFL dream over an ELC contract in the CFL, unless money is a very, very important factor in their lives at that moment.

Pete · December 20, 2024, 04:47:11 PM

Plus when they wash out in the nfl some desperate cfl team will pay them most of the lost salary even if its for a shortened season

Blue In BC · December 20, 2024, 11:50:39 PM

Quote from: theaardvark on December 20, 2024, 03:25:59 PMIf they sign a futures contract, they should get some guaranteed money in the deal, and that can be more than what they'd make in the time missed in the CFL.. makes the decision easier. Its the TC invites that can be a debate over potential versus real CFL money... but every football player will take the NFL dream over an ELC contract in the CFL, unless money is a very, very important factor in their lives at that moment.

The CFL signs future contracts as well. It just means they are being invited to TC with no guarantees.

Throw Long Bannatyne · December 21, 2024, 01:16:12 AM

Quote from: Pete on December 19, 2024, 10:30:37 PMi think its younger prospects that first turn to usfl etc. in order to get that nfl look. once they hit 26 or older then the cfl becomes a more viable option.

Makes a big difference if the player is single or married and has kids or not, once married the family life pressures them to make more practical decisions. If Nathan Rourke was still single there's a reasonable chance he wouldn't have come back to the CFL so soon.

Jesse · December 21, 2024, 03:21:03 PM

Quote from: Blue In BC on December 20, 2024, 11:50:39 PMThe CFL signs future contracts as well. It just means they are being invited to TC with no guarantees.

And here's a big thing that I think people are missing.

The USFL can claim that all these players have signed "contracts" in the NFL for their propaganda pieces, but how many of those are futures deals that may or may not mean the player ever steps foot on an NFL field?