The Detroit Lions have signed all seven players from their 2020 undrafted free agent class and now their contract numbers, including guaranteed money and signing bonuses, are being released (via Overthecap.com).
The guaranteed money involved in UDFA contracts speaks to how much the team values a player but it doesn’t always guarantee them a spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad.
Looking back at 2019 and 2018 UDFA contracts
If we look at the last two years of Lions UDFA classes we can see players who receive the most money have a better shot at sticking around in some form, but if they are outperformed in training camp, the Lions have no issues moving on from them. Likewise, a player who wasn’t guaranteed a significant amount of money can also find themselves on the roster if they stand out in camp.
| 2019 roster/practice squad | Total Guaranteed | 2019 UDFA rank | 2018 roster/practice squad | Total Guaranteed | 2018 UDFA rank |
| Beau Benzschawel (roster) | $80,000 | 2nd | Brandon Powell (roster) | $44,000 | 1st |
| C.J. Moore (roster) | $27,000 | 5th | Mike Ford (PS/roster) | $27,500 | 3rd |
| Matt Nelson (PS) | $15,000 | 7th | |||
| Jon Duhart (PS) | $10,000 | 8th | |||
| Kevin Strong (roster) | $6,000 | 9th | |||
| Tom Kennedy (PS/roster) | $0 | 11th |
Last year, the Lions gave offensive tackle Ryan Pope a hefty $165,000 in guaranteed money but he was dominated in camp and to no one’s surprise, he was released before the regular season. Meanwhile, Beau Benschawel turned around his training camp, developing quickly down the stretch, and earned a spot on the active roster. Kevin Strong was the surprise camp darling last fall, significantly outperforming his guaranteed money, but the biggest winner was Tom Kennedy, who didn’t initially receive a UDFA contract — he had to earn one via a try out — and thus had zero guarantees in his deal.
2020 UDFA contracts
Despite having a smaller UDFA class this cycle, the Lions stayed relatively consistent with how they distributed their money, investing in four key players at the top, while handing out smaller bonuses to players who could surprise.
| Total Guaranteed | Salary | Roster bonus | 2020 Cap Hit | |
| Jalen Elliott | $100,000 | $85,000 | $15,000 | $615,000 |
| Jeremiah Dinson | $80,000 | $50,000 | $30,000 | $620,000 |
| Arryn Siposs | $65,000 | $50,000 | $15,000 | $615,000 |
| Hunter Bryant | $60,000 | $40,000 | $20,000 | $616,666 |
| Steve Wirtel | $22,000 | $15,000 | $7,000 | $612,333 |
| Luke Sellers | $10,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $611,666 |
| Bobby Price | $0 | $0 | $0 | $610,000 |
It’s worth noting that Elliott received more guaranteed money than Benschawel, Dinson the same amount, while Siposs and Bryant earned more than any other UDFA in 2019 and every UDFA in 2018. Looking solely at the money, it’s fair to say the Lions are hoping those four play well enough to challenge for a roster spot.
Beyond the money, it’s fair to say those four also have the best chance among the UDFAs of earning a roster spot. Eliott and Dinson will challenge last year’s UDFA special teams ace C.J. Moore, while Siposs is in a two-man competition with Jack Fox for the punter job, and Bryant’s skillset may require him to beat out last year’s seventh-round tight end Isaac Nauta or a sixth wide receiver.
When the Lions head into training camp, based on the guaranteed money and opportunities available, Eliott, Dinson, Siposs, and Bryant are the names to watch.
