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The NFL Combine is no longer just for rookies. In an effort to bring veteran free agents together, the league will be hosting a combine for veterans in 2015.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, citing a memo sent from the NFL, the Veteran Combine will take place in Arizona on March 22:
There's already a website set up for veteran free agents to sign up and take part in the event. It asks for all of the typical information like name, address and if you were on an NFL roster during the 2014 playing season. There is also a $400 participation fee and all players selected to attend must pass a physical.
Bleacher Report National NFL Writer Michael Schottey likes this idea in theory, though he also sees what the league is trying to do:
Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com noted the added benefit that this kind of event can have for players and teams:
The event will allow veteran free agents to go through the same kinds of drills and testing draft prospects go through in Indianapolis, with representatives of all 32 clubs on hand.
Veteran free agents have been allowed at regional rookie combines in recent years, but this gives teams a chance to get a like-for-like look at guys who have played in the league.
The date for the combine is unusual because free agency is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET on March 10. There are obvious veteran free agents who won't need a public workout to get a new contract. Ndamukong Suh, for instance, isn't going to be on the market very long.
For the mid- and lower-tier free agents, who aren't going to have teams knocking on their door on March 10, this does give them a chance to showcase what they can do for NFL teams. It's certainly no guarantee that a player will stick. Given the choice, teams could prefer instead to go with late-round draft picks or undrafted rookie free agents to fill out their roster, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.
The NFL Combine is no longer just for rookies. In an effort to bring veteran free agents together, the league will be hosting a combine for veterans in 2015.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, citing a memo sent from the NFL, the Veteran Combine will take place in Arizona on March 22:
There's already a website set up for veteran free agents to sign up and take part in the event. It asks for all of the typical information like name, address and if you were on an NFL roster during the 2014 playing season. There is also a $400 participation fee and all players selected to attend must pass a physical.
Bleacher Report National NFL Writer Michael Schottey likes this idea in theory, though he also sees what the league is trying to do:
Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com noted the added benefit that this kind of event can have for players and teams:
The event will allow veteran free agents to go through the same kinds of drills and testing draft prospects go through in Indianapolis, with representatives of all 32 clubs on hand.
Veteran free agents have been allowed at regional rookie combines in recent years, but this gives teams a chance to get a like-for-like look at guys who have played in the league.
The date for the combine is unusual because free agency is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET on March 10. There are obvious veteran free agents who won't need a public workout to get a new contract. Ndamukong Suh, for instance, isn't going to be on the market very long.
For the mid- and lower-tier free agents, who aren't going to have teams knocking on their door on March 10, this does give them a chance to showcase what they can do for NFL teams. It's certainly no guarantee that a player will stick. Given the choice, teams could prefer instead to go with late-round draft picks or undrafted rookie free agents to fill out their roster, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.
