Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's UDFA strategy highlights major inequity in the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft has a lot of interesting elements to it. Each year, there are at minimum 256 picks with each team receiving a pick in all seven rounds and 32 awarded compensatory selections. There are often more compensatory selections added in round three with minority head coach and general manager hires.

The Minnesota Vikings have benefited from multiple compensatory selections, but where they have thrived is with undrafted free agency. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made that a major part of his strategy, and it highlights something very interesting with the NFL Draft.

UDFA contracts highlight inequity in NFL Draft process

It's not just that Adofo-Mensah prioritizes the undrafted free agent process after the draft, it's how he goes about it. The Vikings throw around a lot of money, including a whopping nine players with over $200k in guaranteed money. 

That's huge for players who go undrafted, as they know they will be getting guaranteed money. What makes things really interesting is how much more they get than players who are drafted.

One thing that needs to be discussed is how little players at the end of the NFL Draft receive in guarantees. At a certain point for some players, going undrafted is much better for them financially. 

Batty received a contract with a $25,000 signing bonus and $234,000 in guaranteed salary. The salary is also what he will make on the practice squad, so it's a low-risk investment. Where things get interesting is that Batty is getting more money guaranteed than the 182nd overall pick, New England Patriots kicker Andres Borregales. He received a signing bonus of $256,484. 

Batty getting that much money fully guaranteed isn't really an issue, but should it be more than players who get drafted? In fact, eight undrafted free agents have more money fully guaranteed than the Vikings two sixth-round draft picks in linebacker Kobe King (201st overall) and tight end Gavin Bartholomew (202nd overall).

In fact, the final pick in the NFL Draft, Patriots cornerback Kobee Minor, only received a signing bonus of $101,672. That feels like a major inequality in the marketplace.

It's also worth noting that both drafted and undrafted players end up having the same salaries over the course of their rookie contracts. Things aren't different from that perspective, and a player like King or Bartholomew could end up getting less money if they were cut and not added to the practice squad than what Batty will receive.

It's wild that this kind of inequality exists in the NFL. This isn't to say that undrafted players should get less, but maybe the final 75 picks should get more than what Batty received when it comes to guarantees.

In all honesty, how do we fix it? UDFAs don't deserve to be able to receive less money, but there should be a balance to it. Players who are drafted should get higher signing bonuses to at least come closer to matching what the top UDFAs get in full guarantees. There is something inherently off about Batty getting $157,000 more than the final pick in the NFL Draft.