Buccaneers rookie was better off going undrafted in 2023
Just because a player joins an NFL team as an undrafted free agent, it doesn't mean people should just go ahead and write him off. There are plenty of UDFAs that had amazing careers in the NFL. Hall of Famers John Randle, Warren Moon, Kurt Warner, and Drew Pearson are former UDFAs and there are […]
Just because a player joins an NFL team as an undrafted free agent, it doesn't mean people should just go ahead and write him off.
There are plenty of UDFAs that had amazing careers in the NFL. Hall of Famers John Randle, Warren Moon, Kurt Warner, and Drew Pearson are former UDFAs and there are plenty of other big names, as well.
One Tampa Bay Buccaneers UDFA to keep an eye on this summer is wide receiver Rakim Jarrett. Many teams thought Jarrett would get drafted, but for some reason, he didn't. He eventually signed with the Buccaneers on a three-year, $2.72 million deal that includes a whopping $225k in guaranteed money. The guarantees make up 8.27% of Jarrett's deal, which is superb, as you'll soon find out.
It's the last number that should really raise an eyebrow or two. That's a lot of guaranteed money for a UDFA, which shows how much the Buccaneers think of Jarrett.
It also shows that Jarrett was better off getting signed as a UDFA, instead of getting drafted. This goes as high as the 26th pick in Round 6 (No. 203 overall). Per source, Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Amari Burney, the 203rd overall pick in the draft, signed a four-year deal worth $4,005,116, but it has $165,116 in total guarantees. The guarantees also make up just 4.12% of his overall deal.
The same goes for Jacksonville Jaguars WR Parker Washington and New England Patriots cornerback Ameer Speed. Those players were given $192,264 and $133,332 in total guarantees, respectively, which makes up 4.77% and 3.36% of their respective deals.
And last but not least: Jarrett's 8.27% in guarantees is even higher than Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jacquelin Roy (8.13%), who was the seventh pick in Round 5, or, No. 141 overall.
Sure, each player will make more over their first three years in the league, but it won't be a whole lot more. And, there's no guarantee they'll make a 53-man roster as fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round picks through 2025, either. In terms of Jarrett's situation, he has more money in the immediate, which is big for players with, at best, unknown futures.
And, Jarrett's three-year deal isn't a bad situation to be in, either. He'd become a restricted free agent in 2026, while the above players are playing out the final year of their rookie deal(s). The lowest RFA tender in 2023 was $2.627 million. So, if Jarrett was hypothetically signed to that tender in 2023, after completing his first contract, he'd make $5.347 million over his first four years in the NFL.
That is more than any of the aforementioned players will make. And, we know the RFA tender will be even more in 2026. The final kicker, as well, is the fact Jarrett will make more than twice as much as what Roy, Burney, Washington, and Speed will all be making in 2026 if all works out.
Sure, Jarrett may not have the security the other draft picks have when it comes to four-year contracts. But, security is an awfully flexible word when it comes to the context of these players' draft selections and if you ask me, I'm taking as much money off the table as quickly as I can.
