Beyond the Draft: Meet Gary Guyton (LB)

by Marima on May 16, 2008 5:00 AM EDT

Undrafted, but not unwanted, linebacker Gary Guyton comes to the Patriots following a standout senior year at Georgia Tech and a very impressive Combine. The 6’2”, 242 lb Guyton touts his “whole game” as his best attribute. In an interview with Cecil Lammey of Draft Guys TV, Guyton displays the confidence fans love to see in their young players. “I can bring anything to the table that you need . I can come down and hit the ball, destroy blockers, get off tackles, cover…everything you need.”

Most notably as a senior Guyton switched to weak side linebacker and started all 13 games, racking up 78 tackles (13.5 for losses), five sacks and five pass breakups. He returned two fumbles and an interception for touchdowns. Guyton also caught three passes for 54 yards and a touchdown and scored two two-point conversions. By the end of the season, the staff and opposition alike were calling him the team's best defensive performer .

The Patriots rely heavily on the versatility of their players, especially in veteran linebackers Bruschi, Vrabel, and Thomas. While Guyton has found his weak side sweet spot, he also has vital experience at playing strong side and special teams, which will enable him to play where he is needed most.

The Combine showcased Guyton who had the best vertical jump, best broad jump, and 2nd best 40 of all participating linebackers. On the long list of positives from his NFL profile, the standouts are: Good character on and off the field, good use of his size and strength, shows burst as blitzer, flashes explosiveness as a hitter and can wrap up and make the tackle, uses long arms and strong hands to supply a pop to blockers and disengage.

Why wasn’t he drafted? Critics point to his needing to add more bulk to his frame, and become more instinctive when diagnosing run/pass plays, especially when playing deep in the zone. A bit too hesitant, he needs to get quicker at changing directions and trying to slip blocks. Russ Lande, Draft Expert from the Sporting News, feels he hasn’t received “a lot of publicity because of Georgia Tech teammate Philip Wheeler [drafted in the 3rd round by the Colts.]

However, it is Lande’s opinion that Gary Guyton is the more well rounded, better NFL prospect . “He’s a well-built athletic linebacker who can chase down running plays in pursuit just as easily as helping out in pass coverage. If you want a big-time playmaker, he’s not your guy, but if you want a very well rounded linebacker who stays on the field for three plays, Guyton’s the man you need.”

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curious

Just out of more curiousity than anything thing else, but… If a player gets signed to a practice squad for a decent contract, then another team “claims” that player do they have to sign with the other team? Can an undrafted free agent rookie elect to stay on a practice squad instead? Same thing for waivers, are they required to sign with another team if the pats release them and they go through the waiver process?

I know 99.9% of people would just elect to sign to a roster rather than sit on a practice squad, I am just curious what the rules are reguarding this.

by Ogor on May 16, 2008 9:21 AM EDT reply actions

They are essentially free agents

From Wikipedia:

Each NFL team may keep up to eight members on their “practice squad” in addition to their 53-member main roster. They consist mostly of rookies who were cut in training camps and borderline NFL-caliber players. Both rookies and young veterans are eligible for the practice squad. However, a player cannot participate on the practice squad for more than three seasons. Practice squad players practice alongside regular roster players during the week; however they are not allowed to play in actual games. They are paid considerably less than active squad players (minimum salary is $5200 per week (2008-2010)[1] for 17 weeks, or $88,400 per season, in comparison to the NFL minimum rookie salary of $285,000). They are also ineligible for many fringe benefits such as service time, pensions, and the like. They hope to be promoted to the active roster either by their current team, or by another team who is scouting them. They retain free agent status and may sign with any team they wish without compensation to the original team.

I don’t know if they “have” to sign with another team, but I would guess it’s in their best interest.

by MaPatsFan on May 16, 2008 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

cool...

That is what I thought but I wasn’t 100% sure. Like I said I know 99.9% of guys would rather play then sit on a practice squad, but I was wondering if a situation arose where, they might want to stay for a year on a team they really liked knowing that they would get a slot the next year. For the Pats this probably would only happen in the LB core, due to the complexity of the system, but for a guy like Guyton, it might be a prime place to be, knowing that Teddy and Junior are unlikely to play again next season (and maybe not this season for Junior) and having a year in the system would be excellent for him.

Second question:
What is the practice squad eligibility? For instance, can we put Guiterrez on the practice squad this year, even tho he was on the 53 man roster all year last year? Isn’t there something about 3 acrewed seasons and you are no longer elligible?

by Ogor on May 16, 2008 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Hope this helps

Section 4. Eligibility:
(a) The practice squad shall consist of the following players, provided that they have not served more than two previous seasons on a Practice Squad: (i) players who do not have an Accrued Season of NFL experience; and (ii) free agent players who were on the Active List for fewer than nine regular season games during their only Accrued Season(s). An otherwise eligible player may be a practice squad player for a third season only if the Club by which he is employed that season has at least 53 players on its Active/Inactive List during the entire period of his employment.

(b) A player shall be deemed to have served on a Practice Squad in a season if he has passed the club’s physical and been a member of the club’s Practice Squad for at least three regular season or postseason games during his first two Practice Squad seasons, and for at least one regular season or postseason game during his
third Practice Squad season. (A bye week counts as a game provided that the player is not terminated until after the regular season or postseason weekend in question.)

Sub-section (a) outlines the type of player that is eligible to become a practice squad player (note: an "accrued season" is a season in which a player is not on (i) the Exempt Commissioner Permission List, (ii) the Reserve PUP List as a result of a non-football injury, or (iii) a Club’s Practice or Development Squad, and they are able to receive a salary for at least six (6) regular season games)

Subsection b states the guidelines for determining whether or not a player has served a year as a practice squad player

http://blog.sportsbusinessdigest.com/2007/09/03/the-nfl-collective-bargaining-agreement-week-3/

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is 'God is crying.' And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is 'Probably because of something you did.'
- Jack Handey

by OneMore on May 16, 2008 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

I clicked the link

I hope this helps, too.

by ocmenv on May 21, 2008 9:12 PM EDT reply actions

????

Ummm. If you think I wrote that or am promoting my site you are sorely mistaken. It’s called “works cited”, you know—giving credit to the original author or website. People do it to avoid plagiarism. So, I think you have two comments posted on this site now and neither one contains an ounce of thought, knowledge, or insight. Did you join this site to contribute or just be a **head???

by OneMore on May 22, 2008 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions