Gators undrafted free agents agree to deals

By Adam Silverstein
July 26, 2011

Updated July 27 at 3:30 p.m.

The end of the NFL lockout sent the league into a frenzy Monday evening as teams were officially allowed to contact and agree to contracts with undrafted free agents who were not selected in the 2011 NFL Draft. With only four Florida Gators picked in the seven-round draft back in April, a number of well-known players remained available heading into one of the most questionable offseasons in pro football history.

With contracts now being signed as names continue to roll in, a number of former Gators have already been picked up to join NFL squads this year.

Everything started Monday evening as linebacker Duke Lemmens chose to stay out west and play for the Arizona Cardinals, defensive tackle Terron Sanders got a call from the Baltimore Ravens, and running back Emmanuel Moody decided to join 2010 undrafted free agent wide receiver David Nelson with the Buffalo Bills.

On Tuesday, punter Chas Henry chose to team up with wide receiver Riley Cooper and tight end Cornelius Ingram on the Philadelphia Eagles, defensive end Justin Trattou decided to play close to home with the New York Giants, and offensive lineman Carl Johnson joined up with DE Alex Brown on the New Orleans Saints.

Wednesday brought two more signings as LB A.J. Jones found a spot with the Denver Broncos and LB Brandon Hicks [unconfirmed] signed with the Bills. Jones joins quarterback Tim Tebow in Denver, while Hicks teams up with Moody and Nelson in Buffalo.

Safety Will Hill was originally reported to have agreed to a deal with the Washington Redskins; however, it surfaced Tuesday that those reports were premature and the two sides have not spoken about a contract.

OGGOA spoke with Sanders early Tuesday morning, and he related to us that former Florida defensive coordinator now Baltimore defensive backs coach Teryl Austin had a lot to do with him getting this opportunity with a top-tier franchise.

“Coach Austin, he’s up there now, and he put in a good word for me and told them that I can plug the hole and knock people back,” Sanders said. “He convinced them to take a shot at me. They called my agent, my agent called me and asked me if I’d be interested in going to Baltimore. I told them, ‘Yeah,’ and the deal is done.”

Though he has been hoping the lockout would end and has been keeping in shape, Sanders also kept himself busy with a regular job until his future was known.

“I haven’t put on a pair of shoulder pads in a while,” he said. “I’ve been working out, doing some running, and I started working at U-Haul about two weeks ago just to get some money in my pocket until this was decided.”

Other players who could be signed include WR Carl Moore and defensive lineman Brandon Antwine and Lawrence Marsh.

OGGOA will update this post as additional signings are announced.

8 Comments

  1. goldengator says:

    I cannot believe Chas Henry hasn’t been picked up yet….. Are you serious!!!!!

  2. npgator says:

    That is a good list of unrestricted free agents!

  3. Alex says:

    It’s starting to sound like chas made the wrong choice of agent. He should have been drafted, and now he hasn’t yet been signed as a udfa? Fail, man. Some team is eventually going to score here.

  4. Cesar says:

    That’s awesome that Terron Sanders was working at UHaul. Takes a lot of character for a kid to get a job like that after having NFL dreams and not being drafted. If I’m an NFL GM I look at that and think this kid’s got character, heart, and a strong work ethic. SIGN HIM UP. Good for Sanders. Hopefully he makes the team.

  5. Jersey Rich says:

    Will Hill’s deal with Washington was agreed to and then his agent asked for a bonus, the Skins said no, they asked again, the Skins said we will look elsewhere. Not a good idea to negotiate without a backup plan….

  6. Doug says:

    Wow you idiots need to learn to read. Chas Henry is in Philly

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