2023 Undrafted Free Agents - 18 Commit to Sign

[Fouts2herbert]

That is actually the opposite of the truth. Under Smith they typically paid more for UDFA than other teams and it was a big part of their success. Several (most?) of this crop got guaranteed money ranging from $20k to over $100k for Clark.

TG

The Chargers love to go bargain basement bin shopping, which is a good thing, it's netted them some incredible players and some awesome bargains over the years...unlike a lot of NFL teams the chargers have invested heavily into fostering trust with UDFA agents and getting the word out that they are willing to give people a legit shot even if they weren't drafted or highly regarded by other teams...

Over the last 25-30 years they have one of the most well developed and well known UDFA pipelines in the NFL...whether it's been signing bonuses or not I don't know but guys that already know that they will go undrafted are well aware that the chargers are one of the best teams in the NFL to get a legit shot to stick around...and you are correct, that system goes way back and may even pre date the aj smith era because I remember that under beathard they did a lot of stuff in UDRFA too...

That said, AJ Smith was outspoken about the value of UDFA so he was definitely a person that supported or expanded what the chargers did with UDFAs...I remember reading the post draft reports in the 2000s and a lot of teams where bringing in a select 5-7 high profile UDFAs that mostly came from big time schools, the chargers were casting a wider net and bringing in a bunch of small school guys that no one was interested in...there was a time there during the AJ Smith era when they would routinely sign 18-22 of these guys every single year...

[OG619FrightninLightnin]

One word:

Gates

[Fouts2herbert]

One word:

Gates

Gates will always be the golden standard because he is a sure fire hall of famer...but others have made their marks too and it's a long list of guys...had Kris Dielman's career not been sidetracked and cut short by concussion issues, I believe we'd be talking about him going into the hall too...

Tolbert, Parker, Floyd, Welker, Ekeler, Davis, Cesaire, Bennett, Binn, Carney, Plummer, and I know I'm forgetting some good ones but these come to mind off the top of my head...these positive outcomes has made the UDFA list that the Chargers announce after the draft a very important part of my draft weekend going back 25 years...

[Fouts2herbert]

some current names that have potential of being added to this list eventually are guyton (WR), sarrell (OT), ogbongbemiga (LB), layne (S), smart (TE), clark (NT)...it's not over, the UDFA pipeline for the Chargers is alive and well...

[WindsorUK]

Shout out to the regional scouts who actually bring these players to the attention of the GM 's( any of you that think the AJ Smith's and Tom Telesco's of the world go out and scout these guys, I've got some swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell ya')
Without their first hand knowledge- boots on the ground, eyes on the ball- Malcolm Floyd, Chris Dielman, Austin Ekeler aren't Charger royalty.
Props to the scouts!

[WindsorUK]

some current names that have potential of being added to this list eventually are guyton (WR), sarrell (OT), ogbongbemiga (LB), layne (S), smart (TE), clark (NT)...it's not over, the UDFA pipeline for the Chargers is alive and well...

This dude could get early reps if AJ and Otito aren't ready for camp.
Definitely see him on the active game day roster.

[Fouts2herbert]

Shout out to the regional scouts who actually bring these players to the attention of the GM 's( any of you that think the AJ Smith's and Tom Telesco's of the world go out and scout these guys, I've got some swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell ya')
Without their first hand knowledge- boots on the ground, eyes on the ball- Malcolm Floyd, Chris Dielman, Austin Ekeler aren't Charger royalty.
Props to the scouts!

Both Telesco and Smith came up thru the ranks as area scouts themselves, they don’t move up the ranks if they themselves haven’t found players for the GMs that they worked for as scouts…those guys are self made not appointed by their daddy’s

[Fouts2herbert]

This dude could get early reps if AJ and Otito aren't ready for camp.
Definitely see him on the active game day roster.

Yes, it sounds like johnson has an outside shot to be ready for week one of the season but that is almost a best case scenario, Otito is probably going to start the year on IR…so yeah, Clark has a clear path to the 53 man roster if he plays his cards right…that’s probably how they got him to sign in the first place…

[Hadl2Alworth]

Shout out to the regional scouts who actually bring these players to the attention of the GM 's( any of you that think the AJ Smith's and Tom Telesco's of the world go out and scout these guys, I've got some swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell ya')
Without their first hand knowledge- boots on the ground, eyes on the ball- Malcolm Floyd, Chris Dielman, Austin Ekeler aren't Charger royalty.
Props to the scouts!

And the WR Tyrell Williams. I knew he would be good.

[Velo]

Tolbert, Parker, Floyd, Welker, Ekeler, Davis, Cesaire, Bennett, Binn, Carney, Plummer, and I know I'm forgetting some good ones but these come to mind off the top of my head...these positive outcomes has made the UDFA list that the Chargers announce after the draft a very important part of my draft weekend going back 25 years...

Where is the Kris Dielman love? Until Ekeler, Dielman was the 2nd best UDFA in Chargers history (at least in the modern era) behind Gates IMO. I think Ekeler has surpassed him, even though Ek has never been named to the Pro Bowl. Dielman was a 4 time Pro Bowl at LG and 2 time 2nd Team All Pro.

[dmac_bolt]

Where is the Kris Dielman love? Until Ekeler, Dielman was the 2nd best UDFA in Chargers history (at least in the modern era) behind Gates IMO. I think Ekeler has surpassed him, even though Ek has never been named to the Pro Bowl. Dielman was a 4 time Pro Bowl at LG and 2 time 2nd Team All Pro.

Talking linemen, its arguable Binn had more game …

[Boltnut]

I'm liking what I've seen from Taiwan Mullen's tape...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlM2o6nWTFA