When can teams sign undrafted free agents in 2023?

Once the NFL Draft 2023 concludes, heads will turn toward undrafted free agents (UDFAs). As the name suggests, those who have declared for this year's NFL Draft but were not selected by any team are known as UDFAs.

Right after the draft finishes, we will, therefore, know who the UDFAs are and teams can begin signing them. Hence, the process will begin right after the 2023 NFL Draft.

Undrafted free agents often form vital components of their team. Everyone knows about Hall of Famer Kurt Warner going undrafted only to win a Super Bowl and MVP honors. Warren Moon also went undrafted and only returned to the NFL after his undoubted talent could no longer be ignored due to his performances in the Canadian Football League.

But even in modern times, the likes of Austin Ekeler, for example, went undrafted. The Los Angeles Chargers picked him in 2017 and his vitality for the team cannot be underestimated.

The only difference to the draft is that there is no set order, so any team can sign any player. The process of signing undrafted free agents also involves an art.

How does signing the undrafted free agents work?

Even though undrafted free agents can only sign after the 2023 NFL Draft is over, work begins on these terms much earlier. When NFL scouts visit pro days across the country, they notice the players they like and get in communication with their agents.

The agents of the players play a crucial role in the process. Because players are not bound by NFL Draft rules, agents can often field multiple offers and agree terms with a team. Of course, agreeing to those terms is verbal initially, because no formal contract can be drawn before the draft is over.

Now, if that player is signed during the draft, there is nothing the player or the team that was tapping him can do. But if the player remains undrafted, then they can sign immediately with the team that they have agreed terms to.

Many a times, there will be multiple offers for the player to choose from and that can drive up some contracts. Essentially, signing undrafted free agents is like an auction where the bidding is continuous.

In fact, sometimes if teams get the wind that a player they really like is getting a lot of offers, they might even choose to get them drafted in the seventh round of the draft. The process of talking to these players generally begins by the sixth round of the NFL draft process.

The process of selecting and shortlisting players is similar for undrafted free agents, just as it is for players who are drafted. Teams will compile and list and see who is available and who is not.

The only difference is in the draft, the limiting factor is the order of the pick. For undrafted free agents, the only limiting factor is who is giving them the best deal, since there is no order involved after the seventh round.

In terms of the best deals for the UDFAs, it often involves finding the best team that can give them a chance to get into the active squad. Because beyond the signing bonus and sometimes the guarantee of a base salary, there is not much that is offered to these players.

So, tonight, once the fans vanish from the stage after the final call is made in the 2023 NFL Draft, general managers, coaches, assistant coaches and scouts will still be working the lines. The draft is a spectacle that is brought to the fans for their enjoyment. Often, though, value is found behind the scenes. NFL franchises will be hoping to unearth the next Kurt Warner once the draft finishes.

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