Philadelphia Eagles: Jamie Newman is guaranteed nothing but a chance

The NFL, in its purest form, is a meritocracy.

Sure, teams will occasionally draft for need, cut a player because of their cap situation, or allow politics to get in the way of a winning team, but time and time again, that has bitten a head coach, general manager, and entire franchise in the butt more than it works out.

So, in theory, it shouldn’t matter how a player gets to a team, from an undrafted free agent to a first overall pick; it’s how they play once they get into camp and onto the field.

That, my friends, is the situation ex-Wake Forrest/Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman finds himself in entering the wee hours of his first NFL preseason, as the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t guarantee him anything but a chance when he signed on the dotted line.

Newman has to prove his worth with the Philadelphia Eagles to make the team.

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Once the final pick goes off the board in any given NFL Draft, the real scramble begins for those unfortunate folks who didn’t hear their name called on the big day(s) but could still be viable players in the right scheme.

But what many don’t know is exactly how the NFL’s second free agency works and how teams are able to court would-be performers.

You see, unlike in normal free agency, where teams can sign players to whatever contract they see fit, NFL teams are only allowed to sign undrafted free agents to a minimum contract worth roughly $2.45 million over three years. They can, in theory, sign players to shorter-term deals if they so choose, but for the most part, teams want to lock in potential players to three-year deals just in case they somehow snag a diamond in the rough.

What teams can do, however, is guarantee part of a player’s contract and offer them a signing bonus to help sweeten the pot versus other suitors who may have interest in their services.

In 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles signed two players to contracts with over $100,000 in guaranteed money – Nebraska tight end Jack Stoll and Buffalo guard Kayode Awosika – and four more with at least $40,000 promised from Howie Roseman and company. But do you know who didn’t receive a dime in guaranteed money but could be in play for a spot on the initial 53 man roster this fall? Yeah, that’d be Jamie Newman.

Surprising, right? Despite failing to select a quarterback with any of their selections in the 2021 NFL Draft and only signing Joe Flacco to compete with Jalen Hurts in camp, Newman was courted by the Birds with nothing but a chance to compete for a spot on the team.

For Newman, the decision to sign with the Eagles over another team offering more guaranteed money is a bit of a risk, but a calculated one that could pay off in the end. The Eagles only had two quarterbacks on their active roster after allowing Week 17 tank specialist Nate Sudfeld walk in free agency, in addition to one of the least experienced starting quarterbacks in the league. If there was ever an opportunity for an overlooked quarterback who watched his stock freefall after opting out of the 2020 NCAA season to come in and pull off a Tony Romo-esque upset, it would surely be this Eagles team; right?

I mean, probably not, but hey, I could understand that line of thinking.

Taking on the lofty expectations of wearing the number 10 one year after DeSean Jackson returned home to the Golden State, Newman hasn’t looked out of place in his initial run with the Eagles and even boasted the rare distinction of being the only quarterback in attendance at the team’s rookie camp. If anything, Newman has all but cemented his place as a viable contender for that third and final quarterback spot – should the team opt to keep one – and could surprise some people when he takes the field for his first non-Senior Bowl game since December of 2019 this preseason – assuming there is a preseason, of course.

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Objectively speaking, it’s rather surprising Jamie Newman even made it to undrafted free agency, as many a talent evaluator placed him squarely on Day 3, with some, like NBC Sports’ Thor Nystrom suggesting he could go before eventual Texans third-round pick Davis Mills. Fortunately for the Philadelphia Eagles, that didn’t happen. No, despite being surely courted by other teams offering more money upfront, Newman bet on himself, took on the challenge, and now looks like a very real candidate to make the team’s final 53 man roster as their QB3. I guess if you play out the full length of your three-year UDFA contract on the active roster, it doesn’t matter how much money is guaranteed from the jump, huh (insert Roll Safe meme here).

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