Tracking Wisconsin’s undrafted free-agents

The NFL is back, and players are on the move. For 132 days this summer, players sat in limbo, unable to proceed with their usual contract dealings and team activities. But the lockout has been lifted, and the free-agency free-for-all is rapidly getting up to speed.

By most accounts, the lockout was a win for all parties involved. Both sides made reasonable concessions, but the money involved and popularity of the league was essentially always going to preclude the loss of regular season games. If there is one group that took a significant hit, it is this year’s draft class. Those players who were drafted are likely to sign for significantly less guaranteed money than previous years. Truthfully, this is welcome relief for NFL clubs, as rookie contracts were getting outrageously bloated.

From what I understand, the salary slashing was a blanket sweep, affecting all draftees proportionately. It’s unlikely to change the draft process much–it’s just going to annoy a bunch of young players. Conceivably, players may prioritize team fit over salary, but with most every incoming rookie looking to cash in for the first time in his football career (er…well…supposedly…), monetary incentives are still likely to rule the day.

With all that said, and much more surely to come as the details of the NFL’s new CBA are explained (and exploited), we turn our attention to those Badger football players who have endured the most frustration this summer: the undrafted free agents. With the signing window having been thrown open yesterday evening already, it’s already a madhouse out there. Here’s what we’ve heard so far:

Scott Tolzien, QB – Updated as of 5:00 pm Tuesday
The Tolzien Timeline:

• Monday evening: Tolzien is rumored to have narrowed his search to a few teams, including Seattle, San Diego, and Indianapolis. Tolzien’s agent denies reports of a contract being signed with Seattle.
• Tuesday morning: Indianapolis and San Diego are the frontrunners. Reports emerge that Tolzien will join teammate David Gilreath in Indianapolis.
• Moments later, Tuesday morning: Matt Zahn of WKOW-TV reports that Tolzien’s agent has indicated he will sign with the Chargers. I stupidly deny the unassailable truth that is Twitter and publish this story with the assumption Tolzien will be a Colt. The internet laughs at my foolishness.
• Tuesday afternoon: Adam Rittenberg’s Big Ten Blog at ESPN publishes a very useful, comprehensive list of undrafted free-agent signings from the Big Ten. Tolzien to the Chargers–it appears it’s official.

So, Scott Tolzien will not follow in the footsteps of Jim Sorgi. Instead, he steps in behind three-time Pro-Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers and a pair of experienced backups. Neither Billy Volek nor J.T. O’Sullivan are particularly effective players, even for backups, and Tolzien’s youth might be his greatest advantage over the pair. I’m rooting for him to stick because the Chargers are my second-favorite NFL team, which matters.

David Gilreath, WR
As Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal indicated, Gilreath is headed to Indianapolis, though his college quarterback won’t be joining him. With a guy like Peyton Manning at the helm, and the accompanying pass-first mentality, Gilreath could see some time on the field in multiple-receiver sets, but is likely going to have to make his mark in the return game at first, where he will presumably compete with incumbents Jarraud Powers and Cornelius Brown.

John Clay, RB
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, John Clay has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers were one of the few remaining teams in the NFL to use one primary running back in a “workhorse” role, and Clay will likely be left looking up in the depth chart. He does seem to fit within the stereotypical “physical” style of play that has long been worshiped in Steel City, but unless Clay proves himself to be a more maneuverable and dynamic back than scouts expect, I fear he will go the way of the NCAA’s career rushing leader. Clay was apparently also pursued by the Packers and Bears.

Niles Brinkley, CB
Brinkley will join Clay in Pittsburgh, where cornerback depth is in question thanks to the free-agency of Ike Taylor, Anthony Madison, and William Gay. If any of those players leave the Steelers, Brinkley could have an opportunity to stick as a depth player in the defensive backfield.