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The Miami Dolphins continued their aggressive personnel strategy by trading up to No. 3 for Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan, but there's work to be done in improving the depth on the roster.
That's where undrafted free agency comes in.
With that, the Dolphins will give several players who didn't hear their name called an opportunity to make an NFL roster.
Which players do the Dolphins have their eyes on? Here's an updated tracker of all the Dolphins undrafted free-agent signings.
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The Buffalo Bills added several talented players in the draft, but the team building process is not over.
Next comes undrafted free agency, with every team getting an opportunity to bring in players who weren't drafted.
Thus, hope is not lost for prospects who didn't hear their name called during the draft.
Which players are the Bills giving an opportunity? Here's an updated tracker of all the Bills' undrafted free-agent signings.
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The New York Jets made several key steps in rebuilding their franchise, but their work is far from done.
With several talented players going undrafted, the Jets have an opportunity to significantly bolster the depth on their roster, where they lack as much talent as they lack on their starting roster.
It's a crapshoot, but there's always a chance to find a diamond in the rough.
Which players are the Jets hoping to turn from water into wine? Here's a running updated list of all their undrafted free-agent signings.
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The New England Patriots took their usual volume approach in the draft, trading their first-round pick for three mid-round picks and a seventh-rounder. The hope is that in picking enough players, the Patriots improve their chances of finding good ones.
The Patriots have done well in undrafted free agency recently, finding solid players in defensive tackle Kyle Love, linebacker Dane Fletcher and others.
An undrafted free agent always has a chance to make the roster when they're brought in by the Patriots.
Who are the Patriots giving that opportunity this year? Here's an updated tracker of all their undrafted free-agent signings.
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On Saturday, the New England Patriots traded running back Jeff Demps and a seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for talented but troubled running back LeGarrette Blount (per Pro Football Talk).
Demps spent the 2012 season on injured reserve and recently stated his desire to be a two-sport star. When explaining what he'd say to head coach Bill Belichick when bringing up his desire to do both track and football, Demps said (via Sports Talk Florida):
The Patriots, evidently, were not comfortable with the time share and shipped him off to Tampa Bay for a talented back. What they got in return was a player who is known more for an incident that nearly ruined his chances at the NFL than he is known for his talents on the football field. That being said, Blount is talented in his role.
At 6'0" and 241 pounds, his strength is his size and toughness. He is hard to bring down with arm tackles.
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The Buffalo Bills were targeting a quarterback, but they didn't want to pick one in the top 10.
It could have been West Virginia's Geno Smith or Syracuse's Ryan Nassib, but the Bills went with Florida State's E.J. Manuel with the 16th overall pick in the draft, making him the first quarterback off the board.
With Kevin Kolb on the roster, the Bills could make Manuel the quarterback of the future to develop over the next year or two.
That doesn't have to be the case.
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Photos via Getty Images.
With so many holes to fill on their roster, there weren't too many mistakes the New York Jets could make in the first round.
Adding Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner at No. 9 was a wise move—and let's just end the "replacing Darrelle Revis" narrative right now before it gets way out of control.
On the other hand, whether drafting Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was a mistake or not, we won't know until a few years down the road, but right now, it's fair to question the pick.
Milliner is an agreeable pick. There's almost no chance he is asked to line up against a team's No. 1 receiver next year—Antonio Cromartie did just fine in that role when Revis went down. Thus, it will be a battle between Milliner and fourth-year cornerback Kyle Wilson for the starting role on the other side. Whoever loses that battle will likely fill the slot role.
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The Miami Dolphins didn't have to give up much to trade up from the No. 12 overall pick to No. 3, giving up the 42nd pick to swing the deal. What they get in return, though, is defensive end Dion Jordan, who they hope is the pass-rushing presence they lack opposite Cameron Wake.
Jordan has the potential to be an elite pass-rusher; he is bursting with athleticism, having run a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and a 4.35-second three-cone drill at the combine (via NFL.com).
Jordan's numbers may not suggest he is a standout pass-rusher, with just 12.5 sacks over the past two years combined, but he wasn't used only as a pass-rusher at Oregon. He was counted on to handle several other roles, including in coverage on tight ends and even in the slot on receivers on occasion.
With all that versatility, the question is whether he can play with his hand in the dirt on a consistent basis in a 4-3 front with the Dolphins. He did so with the Ducks, but was primarily used as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 front.
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In 2011, "all he did was win." In 2012, all he did was sit on the bench. As a result of that, Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has been out of the limelight for Gang Green for quite some time.
The NFL draft is a time for new beginnings, though, and although that is usually reserved for the teams making the selections and the players being selected, players already on the roster could also feel the impact.
This time last year, we were wondering whether Tebow would be pushing quarterback Mark Sanchez for his starting job. Now, we're wondering where Tebow will play in 2013, or whether he will play in the NFL at all.
Here is what the NFL draft could mean for Tebow.
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In rebuilding their roster, the New York Jets had two options: build around All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, or trade him in the final year of his deal and start going in a new direction.
The former would have come with a level of comfort and familiarity, but would have meant that in the long-term, the Jets would be investing around 15 percent of their salary cap on a cornerback.
The Jets went the latter route, sending Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their first-round pick in 2013 and their fourth-round pick in 2014, according to the Jets' official Twitter account.
The Jets might have liked to get more picks, as they were originally aiming for a first-, third- and fifth-round pick. The fact that they were able to acquire the Buccaneers' 2013 first-round choice, the 13th overall, should be considered a huge win. Who knows if the selection would have been worse had the Jets waited to get next year's first-round pick from the Bucs.
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