Rookie Class Evaluation
This section attempts to bring insight into how successful teams have been in securing talent from the rookie acquisition process from a contractual standpoint under the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please read this article for learn more about the methodology behind this process.
Snap Indices
Each player is assigned a snap index by adding the portion of snaps he parcipitated in for his original team during his first four accrued seasons, lying in a range between 0 and 4. The rookie class snap index is then calculated by summing up all the players' snap indices that belonged to the rookie class in question.
Vested Veteran Contracts
From 2011 to 2019, 1636 of 2295 drafted players (71.3%) earned a contract after accruing four accrued seasons. 437 undrafted free agents (UDFAs) have earned the same. This suggests that a typical rookie class should yield 5 to 6 draft picks and 1 to 2 UDFAs that earn such contracts. This table lists the sums of vested veteran contracts earned for each rookie class.
| Team | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total | Extensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 52 | 12 |
| Patriots | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 62 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 14 |
| Jets | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 11 |
| Ravens | 9 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 70 | 20 |
| Browns | 6 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 9 |
| Bengals | 3 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 24 |
| Steelers | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 25 |
| Texans | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 17 |
| Colts | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 18 |
| Jaguars | 5 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 58 | 16 |
| Titans | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 12 |
| Broncos | 7 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 55 | 12 |
| Chiefs | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 15 |
| Chargers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 15 |
| Raiders | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 59 | 14 |
| Giants | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 38 | 8 |
| Cowboys | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 65 | 29 |
| Eagles | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 15 |
| Commanders | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 17 |
| Bears | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 11 |
| Lions | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 46 | 14 |
| Packers | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 15 |
| Vikings | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 20 |
| Falcons | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 18 |
| Panthers | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 15 |
| Saints | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 19 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 15 |
| Cardinals | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 47 | 13 |
| Rams | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 24 |
| 49ers | 14 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 69 | 20 |
| Seahawks | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 63 | 21 |