Undrafted Free Agent Signings / Tryout offers
- Thread starter Sarge
- Start date
Rutgers center Betim Bujari and UConn OL Alex Mateas have accepted invitations to #Jets rookie minicamp. Tryout basis.
Wofford LB Kevin Thomas is attending #Jets rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. #nyj
#Jets have signed Colorado CB Greg Henderson. #nyj
#Jets have signed North Texas OT Antonio Johnson. #nyj
M
Mainejet
Guest
PLEASE La'el Collins!!! Offer that beast a contract if he is officially ruled out as a suspect in killing his girlfriend. That would be outstanding value. A lot of people had Collins going in the 1st round.
+1
Real bad public relations
HYATT™ is also highly pleased with the Wes Saxton signing.
Not a very good blocker as of now but he can be taught better.
Brandon Bridge's TE is a quick and powerful target, though still something of a project who needs to play in the right offense.
Hopefully the Jets are able to incorporate him.
HYATT™ notices that RB Corey Grant - Auburn, is STILL unsigned.
If you haven't heard of this kid yet, or haven't seen him run on tape, do yourself a favor and look him up.
It's DEFINITELY worth your time.
I wonder. If managed properly - with spin that everyone is innocent until proven guilty - and if it turns out that he is a suspect he will not be on the Jets, I can imagine it working out.
One thing the Jets could do is sign him and front him the cost of getting good legal representation. Small amount for an NFL team but big for someone in his situation. Big for someone who is totally innocent even if he will in a few weeks emerge as innocent.
Of course, if the Jets have made their own inquiries and think he has an issue here, then never mind.
JMHO I think if Collins is innocent he does not sign anywhere. He finds a top notch lawyer who wants the publicity and will do it for no upfront cash and takes the NFL to court. Worse case scenario he wastes a year at a BS salary. If he is guilty how cares he will rot in jail.
Collins took a lie detector test earlier in the week and phoned GMs with the results, and STILL nobody would touch him.
Evil-EL put the word out, "HANDS OFF, until he is cleared".
It's doubtful that La'el Collins will ever sign an UDFA contract at this point.
The NFL draft rules state quite clearly, (this NFL.com article couldn't be more wrong - that Collins is ineligible for the 2016 draft), that;
Players
Eligibility:
A player must be out of high school for at least three years to be eligible for the draft.
If a player enters the draft but does not sign a contract, that player can be drafted again the following year.
If a player does not declare for the draft, but is deemed academically ineligble later on, there is a supplemental draft in the summer that occurs. Teams submit a bid for the round in which they would like to take one of the players, and if their bid is the highest, they will get that player, and lose the subsequent pick the following year.
Collins did not get drafted.
He now has a couple of options.
1.) He can make the case that the reckless disregard shown in defaming his reputation, by the Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece - in releasing his name in association with a murder investigation, so close to the NFL draft and so soon after the Aaron Hernandez verdict - constitutes an actionable civil tort for Defamation of Character, with ensuing damages.
Should this turn out to be nothing but a fishing expedition by the Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece Department and Louisiana D.A., he can bring suit against the City of Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece & District Attorney's office for north of $8M guaranteed over 4 years, and potential loss of future income in excess of $40M on his second contract - which he may never have a chance to earn now, because of the damage to his reputation.
His draft grade was widely acknowledged to be comparable to the Pouncey twins, who were drafted at #18 & #15 in the 2010 & 2011 NFL drafts, respectively.
As an Offensive Tackle his draft stock would have been higher, due to the premium placed on the position over that of the Center/Guard Pouncey twins.
This roughly translates into a Top-15 pick, with a rookie contract worth 5 years/$14.8M for #18 Maurkice Pouncey in Pittsburgh & 4 years/$9.25M for Mike Pouncey in Miami.
2015 NFL Draft
#5 Brandon Scherff will receive $18.76M by the CBA slot limits for rookie contracts.
#9 Ereck Flowers will receive $12.83M
#13 Andrus Peat will receive $10.22M
#19 OT Cameron Erving will receive $8.51M
#21 Cedric Ogbuehi will receive $8.42M
#24 D.J. Humphries will receive $8.06M
That sets the market for Collins' contract, almost ALL of which would have been GUARANTEED money.
2.) Collins could refuse to sign any UDFA contract and be reinstated in the 2016 NFL draft after his name is somewhat cleared, (as the NFL Draft Rules CLEARLY state he can), but the year away from football will undoubtedly carry a cost to him & his reputation will forever carry the stench of this investigation throughout his lifetime and professional earnings career in the NFL, as well.
Even IF he is reinstated in the 2016 NFL draft, he may STILL have an actionable tort in civil court for that loss of earnings potential.
Much of this civil suit's success will hang on whether or not the baby who died Friday is in fact Collins'.
If the DNA matches, the DA will go after him as the #1 suspect and he will be just another poor defenseless indigent Black defendant, in a corrupt redneck southern judicial jurisdiction.
(B-R is one of the most corrupt PDs and judicial systems in the entire south, 2nd perhaps only to New Orleans.)
Thus the REASON why they allowed this news to hit the press BEFORE Collins could get his hands on that fat payday AFTER the draft.
MUCH easier to convict a penniless defendant than a famous NFL OT with millions for his own defense.
While their tactics may be disgusting, and while damages are more than evident - PROVING "intent" (a necessary element of the crime/tort loss), on the part of the authorities will be a MUCH higher legal bar to hurdle for Collins and his attorneys - though fortunately the level of proof is substantially lower in civil torts than in a criminal trial.
He need only convince the jury of a "preponderance of the evidence coming to 51% belief", that the Po-Leece did something wrong - that is, if he can even get a southern district judge to allow the civil suit to go forward, which begs the whole "corruption of the system" going on down there.
Evil-EL put the word out, "HANDS OFF, until he is cleared".
It's doubtful that La'el Collins will ever sign an UDFA contract at this point.
The NFL draft rules state quite clearly, (this NFL.com article couldn't be more wrong - that Collins is ineligible for the 2016 draft), that;
Players
Eligibility:
A player must be out of high school for at least three years to be eligible for the draft.
If a player enters the draft but does not sign a contract, that player can be drafted again the following year.
If a player does not declare for the draft, but is deemed academically ineligble later on, there is a supplemental draft in the summer that occurs. Teams submit a bid for the round in which they would like to take one of the players, and if their bid is the highest, they will get that player, and lose the subsequent pick the following year.
Collins did not get drafted.
He now has a couple of options.
1.) He can make the case that the reckless disregard shown in defaming his reputation, by the Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece - in releasing his name in association with a murder investigation, so close to the NFL draft and so soon after the Aaron Hernandez verdict - constitutes an actionable civil tort for Defamation of Character, with ensuing damages.
Should this turn out to be nothing but a fishing expedition by the Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece Department and Louisiana D.A., he can bring suit against the City of Bah-tawn-Rooj Po-Leece & District Attorney's office for north of $8M guaranteed over 4 years, and potential loss of future income in excess of $40M on his second contract - which he may never have a chance to earn now, because of the damage to his reputation.
His draft grade was widely acknowledged to be comparable to the Pouncey twins, who were drafted at #18 & #15 in the 2010 & 2011 NFL drafts, respectively.
As an Offensive Tackle his draft stock would have been higher, due to the premium placed on the position over that of the Center/Guard Pouncey twins.
This roughly translates into a Top-15 pick, with a rookie contract worth 5 years/$14.8M for #18 Maurkice Pouncey in Pittsburgh & 4 years/$9.25M for Mike Pouncey in Miami.
2015 NFL Draft
#5 Brandon Scherff will receive $18.76M by the CBA slot limits for rookie contracts.
#9 Ereck Flowers will receive $12.83M
#13 Andrus Peat will receive $10.22M
#19 OT Cameron Erving will receive $8.51M
#21 Cedric Ogbuehi will receive $8.42M
#24 D.J. Humphries will receive $8.06M
That sets the market for Collins' contract, almost ALL of which would have been GUARANTEED money.
2.) Collins could refuse to sign any UDFA contract and be reinstated in the 2016 NFL draft after his name is somewhat cleared, (as the NFL Draft Rules CLEARLY state he can), but the year away from football will undoubtedly carry a cost to him & his reputation will forever carry the stench of this investigation throughout his lifetime and professional earnings career in the NFL, as well.
Even IF he is reinstated in the 2016 NFL draft, he may STILL have an actionable tort in civil court for that loss of earnings potential.
Much of this civil suit's success will hang on whether or not the baby who died Friday is in fact Collins'.
If the DNA matches, the DA will go after him as the #1 suspect and he will be just another poor defenseless indigent Black defendant, in a corrupt redneck southern judicial jurisdiction.
(B-R is one of the most corrupt PDs and judicial systems in the entire south, 2nd perhaps only to New Orleans.)
Thus the REASON why they allowed this news to hit the press BEFORE Collins could get his hands on that fat payday AFTER the draft.
MUCH easier to convict a penniless defendant than a famous NFL OT with millions for his own defense.
While their tactics may be disgusting, and while damages are more than evident - PROVING "intent" (a necessary element of the crime/tort loss), on the part of the authorities will be a MUCH higher legal bar to hurdle for Collins and his attorneys - though fortunately the level of proof is substantially lower in civil torts than in a criminal trial.
He need only convince the jury of a "preponderance of the evidence coming to 51% belief", that the Po-Leece did something wrong - that is, if he can even get a southern district judge to allow the civil suit to go forward, which begs the whole "corruption of the system" going on down there.
Unless there is a stupid email or other "smoking gun" will be very hard to sue the police or the city on these theories. The police are allowed to inconvenience suspects. Now, they cant intentionally defame someone, but proof will be hard as a matter of law. And juries tend in most places to give the police a lot of credence and leeway.
All above assumes that it turns out soon that there is no case at all against him. If there is a case about which reasonable people could disagree, there is zero shot at defamation.
All above assumes that it turns out soon that there is no case at all against him. If there is a case about which reasonable people could disagree, there is zero shot at defamation.
Oh, yer absolutely correct.
I was trying to get this point of law through #1 Son's thick head at 1 in the morning, last night, but he thinks like the Average Joe and believes this is a big-time lawsuit waiting to be won with ease.
It's NOT.
It's a very hard thing to prove, "intent" - especially these days when the cops are boned up on emails not really disappearing forever when deleted and video cameras recording everything all over the police stations.
But, juries ARE made up of Average Joes and Jills and the police aren't getting the benefit of the doubt as easily, after the rash of killings all over the news lately.
A sea-change on police trust-ability is floating on the horizon now, and Collins could just be a recipient of that backlash.
"We wuz jist doing ahr due dilly-gents in trying to solve this po' unfortunate Suthun Flowah's murdah...y'all wouldn't want the po-leece failing to do their rightful duty or jeopardizing th' case just because some kid wants to git paid for playin' a GAME, now, woudja?"
THAT isn't going to fly nearly as easily any more & juries don't really have to justify their verdicts either.
In a place like Baton Rouge there is already an upwelling of resentment against the corrupt system and plenty of jurors more than happy to pay back a little of their own, by deciding against the cops, moreso than FOR the defendant.
A lot of people liked him heading into the draft. Side line to sideline player that is a bit undersized. Fits a huge need for a LB unit that needs to get younger. Another lb in the pipeline.
Agree with maxmet. All the Police needed was probable cause to detain him. It just happened to be bad timing for him.
Any update on how Collins' meeting with authorities went?
Baton Rouge police: La’el Collins is still not a suspect
Posted by Darin Gantt on May 4, 2015, 3:55 PM EDT
2015 NFL Scouting Combine
Getty Images
LSU offensive lineman La’El Collins would have been a first-round pick last week, but for his connection to a double-murder investigation.
But his current status goes far beyond anything involving his freefall through the entire 2015 NFL Draft.
Collins met with investigators this morning, and apparently it went well.
According to Jerit Roser of the New Orleans Times Picayune, the Baton Rouge Police Department said Collins “fully cooperated with investigators and is still not considered a suspect.”
While that’s not exactly the same as “cleared,” his attorney has expressed confidence that would be the case.
While an NFL team could sign him at any point, it’s reasonable to expect that they’ll wait until there’s a clearer reading of the situation, before anyone proceeds.