I saw Pledger got invited to Arizona’s minicamp

[AlohaUte]

Is this different from signing as a UDFA?  

Perhaps he should have stayed one more season?

[Staples]

An UDFA signs a contract with the team so they have some guaranteed money coming their way and also means they’re more likely to make it past the first mini camp because of that team investment. Minicamp invite is basically an unpaid tryout with the team (though I believe they at least receive a stipend for the tryout.)

[younglurch]

My understanding is yes. This 2019 article outlines it nicely. UDFAs get salaried when signing with a team, whereas minicamp invitees are unsalaried and only get 2-3 days to try and make the team. Drafted players get bigger signing bonuses and more guaranteed money. I think Pledger definitely would’ve preferred to get a UDFA contract, but he’s still getting a shot. 

Should he have come back for another year? I’m not sure, as he would have essentially been in the same exact role behind Thomas. Running backs have a short NFL shelf life, so another year doing the same thing may not have been worth it for him.

[2008 National Champ]

True. However as long as he had attained graduate status, he could have transferred somewhere else and given it one final shot at the college level to impress without penalty. The carries may not have been available at Utah, and I can understand not wanting to start fresh again, but he had not done enough to be a real prospect.

[younglurch]

To your point, he could have done this and had a Kenneth Walker-type impact his grad year which would have gotten him drafted. But you also run the risk of getting hurt, and also have to win the job during camp and learn a new offense and culture. He probably figured he had enough tape and raw tools to land a UDFA contract, which he could parlay into a roster spot. I for one am surprised he only got a minicamp invite. 

It’s definitely a complex calculation for these guys who are on the NFL fringe to make.