The Seahawks recently gave a two-year, $12MM deal to defensive tackle Bryan Mone, a significant pay day for a former undrafted free agent. While Mone earned life-changing money, he still has a long way to go when it comes to career earnings among UDFAs. There are currently 18 active former undrafted free agents who have made more than $30MM in their respective careers.
We’ve listed the top-20 highest-earning UDFAs below (h/t to Spotrac.com). The list includes current free agents:
- LT Jason Peters: $117.2MM
- CB Chris Harris: $68.0MM
- G Andrew Norwell: $52.5MM
- WR Adam Thielen: $50.7MM
- DE Mario Addison: $49.1MM
- LB Shaquil Barrett: $47.1MM
- CB Malcolm Butler: $44.7MM
- QB Case Keenum: $44.1MM
- K Robbie Gould: $43.7MM
- QB Chase Daniel: $39.8MM
- RT La’el Collins: $38.9MM
- WR Danny Amendola: $38.0MM
- K Matt Prater: $33.8MM
- K Graham Gano: $33.6MM
- K Justin Tucker: $33.5MM
- S Rodney McLeod: $33.3MM
- S Tony Jefferson: $31.0MM
- QB Brian Hoyer: $30.9MM
- WR Robby Anderson: $29.5MM
- LB Cory Littleton: $28.9MM
Some observations:
- Peters runs away with the top spot on the list. Despite his career earnings, he’s only earned one sizable extension during his career: a six-year, $60MM deal he signed with the Eagles in 2009. Over the next decade, Peters mostly inked one-year deals to stick with the Eagles.
- The most common position on the list? Kickers. That’s partly a reflection on how the position is treated in the draft; the majority of the league’s kickers have to start their careers as UDFAs. It’s also a reflection of the longevity of the four kickers on the list, especially Gould. The soon-to-be 40-year-old has signed three contracts longer than four years.
- Keenum earned the majority of his money to be a starter with the Broncos, but the other QBs on the list have mostly made their money as career backups. Despite only having five career starts, Daniels has signed four different contracts that are worth more than $10MM total. Similarly, the Patriots were more than happy to keep Hoyer around for about $1.5MM per season to be the main backup to Tom Brady, although Hoyer also benefited from big contracts from the Texans and 49ers.
Wow! Hoyer has done well!!
Peters evolved into a beast when Philly swung that big deal with Buffalo to get him. Had a lot of great years but then near the end he was so unreliable, other than relying on him to end up hurt and in the blue sideline tent.
Cool article!
Now we need a list of the top earning PED violators for a comparison…lol.
And pot heads. I bet Josh Gordon would be high up there (ha!)!
Tony Romo?
Active players
The thing is, one could also make the argument that a couple of players, namely Theilen and Barrett, may have even been able to make a bit more. A lot of other players push for market setting deals after career years in which they either led the league or were considered close to the top in a given area. It seems that, had those players been higher profile picks, it would have been assumed that they’d demand larger contracts and teams may have been more willing to pay.
This is is speculative on my part and not certain, but I think that if Shaquille Barrett, Adam Theilen, or a few other players on this list could have made more based on their production than if they hadn’t needed to fight for a roster spot to begin with.