Why does draft status carry so much weight in roster cuts?

Let's say there are two players vying for the 6th wide receiver spot. One is a UDFA from this year (Jerry Potatoes) and one is a 3rd round pick from last year (Randy Lichen).

The UDFA, Jerry, has been impressive in camp and in all preseason games, including work with the first team offense. The 3rd rounder, Randy, had 3 targets in total last year, with no receptions, and has been less impressive and generally had a quiet camp. It's not the difference between a clear 1st-ballot hall of famer and perennial practice squad, but Jerry still seems to have performed better.

I keep hearing analysts saying Randy will make the team because he's a 3rd-round draft pick, as if that speaks for itself.

Assuming that there are no other factors (no behind the scenes stuff the public doesn't see, no big future financial obligations), why would Randy having been a draft pick make him more likely to make the team than Jerry? Don't teams want the best players on the field, above all else?

Is it mainly because the team doesn't want to appear to have been wrong about the draft pick? Or is there indeed some major financial obligation that would make it be prohibitively consequential to waive Randy rather than UDFA Jerry? Or are all the analysts just telling a story that isn't true?

I have seen draft picks waived (e.g. Justin Joly this year), but I keep hearing the "they kept him likely due to draft status" story out there in one form or another.

TIA

Did Gruden want out? Was he surprised by the trade?

I wasn't an NFL fan back then, so all I know is that it happened, and then Gruden won a Superbowl with TB.

I hear about the trade all the time (as a chronically online NFL fan), but never why it happened.

I am looking to predict every game of the season in 2026. Is there a website where I can make all of my predictions, it will keep track of team records, show me seeding, etc? I can't find exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks

[Geoff Mosher] #Eagles didn’t receive any waiver claims, but many former #Eagles were claimed: Cam Latu (NEP) Cam Williams (ATL) Myles Hinton (CIN) Kapena Gushiken (IND) Trevor Keegan (MIN via DAL)

I'm in the UK but 'get' US sports. I closely follow MLB and NHL, so I'm familiar with US sports terminology and drafts, trading etc, but I really struggle to get into NFL.

I think the biggest thing I struggle with, is that it quickly becomes apparent just how complex the game is tactically - it is very much a brutal chess match.

I'd be interested in know if people generally have a good understanding of the different plays, routes, set-ups etc, because I feel without having that knowledge, you don't actually know what you're watching and it's just a series of short bursts of players running into each other.

Without having that deeper knowledge, I really struggle to appreciate the appeal of the sport. (Fwiw as a person, I struggle to like something unless I really understand and get into it, so it might just be my personality!)

Hey guys! So I’m not a complete 0 ball knowledge guy about the NFL, I know a few famous players and big teams, and also some of the rules but here in Europe it’s not that popular sport and also the timezones make it really hard to watch games
But I want to get more into it, it’s always looked such a fun and exciting sport and I honestly want to be a fan of the game, just like I am with our football and the NBA

Now my questions for you guys are firstly, what teams should I watch? Would playing madden help me understand the game more? And what are some of those more “niche” rules that I should be familiar with? Some of the teams I know are the 49ers, Bengals, Ravens, Eagles, Chiefs, Vikings, Packers, and Steelers and obvisouly I know at 1-2 players from those teams.. I also don’t want to be that glory hunter dude that just got into the sport and hops on the bandwagon for the best team. So hopefully some of you guys can help in in this, thanks in advance!

I'm new to the sport. Have lived in the US for 5+ years but I just never cared about it until recently. I'm teaching myself through YouTube and I notice there's just so many concepts. I know a great deal about soccer, and a fair deal about basketball and baseball. But football sounds like it just has too many concepts and words. I have to go back to videos and notes many times for it to stick. And I'm a dude with multiple college degrees btw, so I'm not a slow learner.

Just wondering...apart from the people who have played it to some degree, does the bulk of the US population *really* understand this game at the deep/ tactical level? Or most people just watch it for the vibes without fully grasping WHY the players do what they do?

Edit: I appreciate recommendations for resources/ pages/ websites/ blogs etc that can help me learn it faster.

Watched a lot of teams training camp content throughout the summer and noticed there are two different types of guardian caps players are wearing: the fitted ones that fit cleanly over the helmet and the original ones that look like someone threw some underwear over the helmet. Why are there two different types and why would anyone choose to wear the baggy looking one?

hi! can’t post this in the cowboys subreddit so wanted to ask here, when is ideally the best time to buy tickets for a game in general or more specifically a cowboys game? i’m planning on going to the home game vs commanders on september 22nd and as it stands rn the ticket prices seem to be stable as i’ve been checking every week but still kinda steep for nosebleeds. does anyone know if the prices will ever drop/is it worth waiting til the day of to buy tickets or might as well just buy them now? any tips appreciated, thank you!

Hello,

Looking for some information or pointers if possible. Not sure if these types of post are allowed here so mods can delete if needed.

Long story short my father has just been given under a year life expectancy left. We have never been super close but one thing we've bonded over is football. Since ive been a kid hes talked about going to a game and never has. I want to make sure he gets to one before that day come and this will most likely be his last NFL season. He will need wheelchair accessible tickets which for the Cowboys stadium the cheapest I can see are 300ish and for lower level about 850. Now unfortunately I alrwady work 2 jobs and am a full time college student so its a little out of reach for me to afford. Im looking for any information on maybe a charity or foundation that could possibly help?

Im not even sure if thats a thing that is done. Not even necessarily looking for a free ticket but maybe something a bit discounted or a lower rate? Im willing to put in the overtime to make it happen but not sure if I can make up the 1k ish needed before the end of the season.

Or even if anyone has experience taking disabled family members to a game how well do they accommodate? Could we get cheaper tickets and would they be accessible via wheelchair?

He's only just turned 50 and I am 28. He's been a cowboys fan for his whole life and I want to make sure he fulfills his dream of going to a game.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

What is the difference in skill set between a punter and a kicker? I've seen players do both, but I just wondered what the difference is.

The pronghorn is an animal that runs very fast. It lives in the Great Plains, and it seems overevolved in terms of speed, with coyotes and wolves nowhere near its speed. But that's because it evolved where there were predators that could catch up to it. But now that those predators are extinct since the end of the last Ice Age, the pronghorn is overdeveloped in terms of speed, and is filling a niche that seems obsolete. What are examples of "pronghorn" players in the NFL? Players who fill a niche that no longer exists, is obsolete, or the NFL has passed their playstyle by, and now are an endangered species?

I wonder if Cam Newton became this. He filled a niche of an extremely mobile QB, but NFL defenses passed that playstyle by, and that resulted in Cam Newton being unsuccessful on the Patriots? He was overengineered for a niche that no longer works?

Seems like on one hand you would root for them because they’re on your team, but on the other hand, you’re hoping they fail so you can take their spot.

I’m sure it varies from situation to situation but what do you think the most common relationship is like?

I mean if it's a third down and a first down is pretty much slim. Why not just punt it on 3rd down since the other team won't expect them to punt so they won't be ready for it and thus giving you a longer distance

For instance, let's say a head coach or quarterback is asked, "What's your opinion about Goodell (or one of the refs?" The person replies, "I won't say anything good or bad about them." Would Goodell bring the fines because the person indicated lack of a positive attitude towards him or refs?

For context, I just started watching the NFL a few years ago and never played so all the schemes and packages on defense are something that I’m still learning a bit.

Also, I’m a Rams fan, and I know Shula runs a 3-4 defense, which I’ve always seen described as “3 down linemen, 4 linebackers” with a DT in the middle surrounded by two DE’s

However, in our defense, the “Outside Linebackers” line up on the line of scrimmage as well, which should mean that they are linemen and not linebackers. I realize these are all just arbitrary naming conventions and that effectively they are linemen but I just cant help but wonder why the names are like that?

Are there 3-4 schemes where the “outside linebackers” actually do play 5-10 yards back from the line of scrimmage lined up next to the ILBs?

Maybe this is a stupid question, but when a runner is tackled and pushed backwards, where is the ball placed, at the point where the ball was when the tackle was initiated, or where the runner is pushed to?

I have no skin in any of those games, so am wondering which might be the most exciting/interesting. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you.

How do those count against the cap? Do you have to keep room avaiable ahead of time even if unlikely? You could leave cap on the table if the incentives are missed.

I'm looking for a way to get some game used Detroit lions, Or Michigan wolverines game used gear, but eBay sucks for their variety, and everywhere else is costing thousands upon thousands, anyone know anywhere niche? That I can easily get real game used stuff without selling my soul

Tom Brady has 5 out off 5 Passing, and objectively maybe 1 out off 5 rushing, maybe 2 at best. And we know how his career went.

Has there ever been a guy that had 2 out off 5 passing, but 5 out off 5 rushing and was able to be a QB that way? Has this ever existed? I assume he wasnt a superstar, but i wanna see if you can offset bad passing by being a alltime rusher.

I know this question has been asked before but I can only find conflicting answers….

Can I pay for one standard NFL Sunday Ticket account and stream one in home device and one out of home device (out of state) simultaneously for the duration of the season?

I know exactly what the FAQ section says about unlimited in home devices and 2 out of home devices, but the language can be deceiving. Also, a friend said he tried this last year and it wouldn’t work. Will YouTubetv know the account is being shared out of state and realize the out of home device isn’t “traveling”?

Any/all info helps!

Thanks!

I from europe and i watch basketball, and basketball has brang some insane busts, i would say anthony bennet was the most extreme one in recent years, u also had the olokwandis, and brown and so on.

who are the worst busts off all time in the nfl? I always say a bust is even bigger if he was hyped, thats why a bust like rissacher is not that dramatic.

What are the most dramatic busts off all time in the nfl?