Undrafted NFL rookie free agents to watch 👀
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By definition, undrafted free agents might seem like an afterthought to most after not being among the 250-260 players selected in their respective NFL drafts.
Players overlooked during the draft process often rise to make an impact for teams across the NFL. This summer, Antonio Gates will become the 23rd undrafted player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Many rookie free-agent players signed by teams at the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft will wind up on practice squads – or, perhaps UFL rosters in the spring of 2026. Some others, however, will make the 53-man roster after an impressive showing in training camp and in preseason games.
Paste BN Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has come up a list of 10 undrafted free agent rookies who warrant following when training camps open in July.
📸: Photos from rookie minicamps and OTAs during 2025 NFL offseason
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KICKOFF COUNTDOWN: 6️⃣6️⃣ days ⏳
The 66th game of the NFL's 272-game 2025 regular-season schedule will take place during Week 5 on Sunday, Oct. 5 when the Cleveland Browns "host" the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London (9:30 a.m. ET kickoff on NFL Network). This will mark the second straight week that the Vikings will be involved in an International Series game, since they will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4 in Dublin, Ireland.
Here are some fun facts to consider:
➤ The NFL is playing a record seven International Series games this season. The Vikings will become the first NFL team to play in two countries outside the U.S. in the same season. The Vikings' game against the Steelers in Ireland will be the first NFL regular-season game played in that country. 🍀
➤ The Vikings-Browns game on Oct. 5 marks the 40th International Series game in London and 46th overall International Series game. This will be the second time that the Browns and Vikings play each other in London. The Vikings defeated the Browns, 33-16, in 2017 at Twickenham Stadium. The Vikings are 4-0 in games played in London, while that 2017 game represents the Browns' only previous International Series game.
➤ The Vikings-Browns game in London will be the 18th all-time meeting between the two teams (including postseason). Yes, you read that right ... the postseason. The Browns – then members of the pre-merger NFL – played the Vikings in the 1969 NFL championship game. The Vikings won, 27-7, advanced to Super Bowl 4, where they lost against the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFL CLASSICS 🏈: FROM THE YOUTUBE ALGORITHM 🎞️
This is where we reprise some NFL lore and recall classic, memorable moments from yesteryear.
It's Fourth of July week, so in the spirit of the July 4 tradition of fireworks 🧨and blowing things up 🎆, let's celebrate "explosive plays." The YouTube algorithm has blessed us with a video of the longest pass play from every season since 2000. That's 25 years of long bombs!
If you enjoy reading 4th and Monday 📰, encourage your football fan friends to subscribe 📱. Follow the writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking and drop a line if you want to talk some football 🏈.