NFL extends Int’l Pathways Program to a third year - Positively impacts Christian Wade

[Jumpsuit Jim]

But what does this mean for Harry and Meghan?

[Rochesterfan]

25 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

I don’t think you really understand what you’re talking about right now... Wade himself is on record saying he still has so much to learn and that the playbook still gives him difficulties, he’s still learning block concepts, etc. 

 

If you want to throw him out on the field on game day that’s cool... but you’d likely be the first to whine when he makes a mistake. 
 

He legitimately has 2 years of professional football experience... he’s a world class athlete learning a brand new sport... everyone knows he isn’t ready. 

Not if he’s part of the International program. Bills get an exemption and teams aren’t allowed to poach him. 

 

19 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Unless the program changed, the Bills own him for another year.  He's on the PS and protected, and cannot be picked up by another team. 

 

If he is part of the Pathways Program - yes the Bills get an exemption and can bring 91 rather than 90 players to training camp, but at the end of training camp he get cuts just like every other player trying to be signed to a PS.  Every team in the NFL has an option then to sign him to their active roster.  
 

Once he clears waivers then there are up to 4 additional choices to be made.  
1.) He can be signed to the Bills active PS.

2.) He can be signed any other teams PS.

3.) He can agree to another deal with the Bills and be put on the Pathway PS as an exempt member (just like the last 2 years).

4.) He can forgo any contract and becomes a FA immediately and can sign with any team either active roster or PS.

 

He is not bound to the Bills (other than when that was the assigned team in year 1).  He has had to sign futures contracts just like other PS players to get an invite the following year.  He had a choice and could either sign the futures contract and stay in Buffalo or forgo the contract and become a FA and try to latch on to another team, but then he loses the Pathways option - which pays him pretty good money to learn the game.

 

You are correct that once he chooses option 3 and signs his new contract agreeing to be on the Pathway PS - then he is bound to the Bills, protected, and can not be activated, but that is a choice he gets to make in partnership with his agent and the Bills.  The Bills do not get to just force him there and once he agrees - the player understands (or should if he has a good agent) what he is signing up for - no movement, but no risk of getting released and a chance to be paid to continue to learn and grow.

[YoloinOhio]

6 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Could be...... or maybe another team could sign him and use him?  Now, it’s pretty much guaranteed he’ll be on the PS all year, not play and won’t have a chance to play for another team.....unless he beats out brieda, motor or Jones, which I doubt.  
 

hopefully McB gives the kid the option of hanging out on the ps or giving him a chance to catch on elsewhere and decide his own fate.  He’s not a kid in RB years 
 

 

It would really help him if they have preseason games this year, for the Bills to get a look on either choosing not use the exemption and have him available to come off the PS, or to raise interest from another team. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by YoloinOhio

[JoPoy88]

36 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Unless the program changed, the Bills own him for another year.  He's on the PS and protected, and cannot be picked up by another team. 

You’re not getting it.

[Rochesterfan]

8 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Could be...... or maybe another team could sign him and use him?  Now, it’s pretty much guaranteed he’ll be on the PS all year, not play and won’t have a chance to play for another team.....unless he beats out brieda, motor or Jones, which I doubt.  
 

hopefully McB gives the kid the option of hanging out on the ps or giving him a chance to catch on elsewhere and decide his own fate.  He’s not a kid in RB years 
 

 

 

He will hopefully get a chance to play - I am guessing the extension to the program was due to the fact that all of these guys lost last year because there was no preseason and practices were limited.

 

My guess is the Bills will see what he can offer, but with a team going “all in” on trying to win a championship- I do not see a real spot for him on the Bills except as a Pathways PS player.  
 

The choice will be up to Wade - does he want a shot this year and he does not sign that contract and becomes a FA (or gets signed by another team) or does he like Buffalo enough to wait out another year in protection (which is safe and good money).

[HardyBoy]

My guess: his primary goal is to learn the game and then go back to the UK and start an American footbal developmental program over there.

 

Mostly, are we sure his ultimate goal is playing? Not saying he isn't trying his absolute hardest to get on the field for a regular season game, but this experience is extremely valuable for him if he wants to coach/start some type of developmental thing in Europe after his playing days are done.

[Bobby Hooks]

Nice! One more year of coffee with the Bills! 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

 

Does Wade have a choice as to whether or not he participates?  I would think sooner or later he'd want to try his hand (or his feet) on an equal footing.

19 minutes ago, Rochesterfan said:

If he is part of the Pathways Program - yes the Bills get an exemption and can bring 91 rather than 90 players to training camp, but at the end of training camp he get cuts just like every other player trying to be signed to a PS.  Every team in the NFL has an option then to sign him to their active roster. 

 

I don't think this was true, at least of the previous years of the Pathways program.  In previous years, if the team used the Pathways exemption on him, he immediately became an extra player on the practice squad all season and was NOT subject to waivers.  In return, he could not be brought up all season.

[NewEra]

11 minutes ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

He will hopefully get a chance to play - I am guessing the extension to the program was due to the fact that all of these guys lost last year because there was no preseason and practices were limited.

 

My guess is the Bills will see what he can offer, but with a team going “all in” on trying to win a championship- I do not see a real spot for him on the Bills except as a Pathways PS player.  
 

The choice will be up to Wade - does he want a shot this year and he does not sign that contract and becomes a FA (or gets signed by another team) or does he like Buffalo enough to wait out another year in protection (which is safe and good money).

Does he have a choice to sign the contract or is “our property”?  I don’t know for sure.

 

if he’s ours and decide to keep him stashed away for another year, I’d at least hope that they ask him if he’d prefer to be given a shot to sign elsewhere 

[JoPoy88]

13 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Does Wade have a choice as to whether or not he participates?  I would think sooner or later he'd want to try his hand (or his feet) on an equal footing.

 

I don't think this was true, at least of the previous years of the Pathways program.  In previous years, if the team used the Pathways exemption on him, he immediately became an extra player on the practice squad all season and was NOT subject to waivers.  In return, he could not be brought up all season.

everything I’ve read on the program says that if an IPP player does not make the 53 man roster at the end of preseason, they are subject to waivers like any other cut player.

[YoloinOhio]

14 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Does Wade have a choice as to whether or not he participates?  I would think sooner or later he'd want to try his hand (or his feet) on an equal footing.

 

I don't think this was true, at least of the previous years of the Pathways program.  In previous years, if the team used the Pathways exemption on him, he immediately became an extra player on the practice squad all season and was NOT subject to waivers.  In return, he could not be brought up all season.

He can be signed by any team once the Bills waive him at cut-down time. If he clears waivers and the Bills would like to sign him to their PS they have the choice to either make him exempt, where he would be off limits to other teams and can’t be activated to play all year, or they can make him a regular PS player and then they don’t have the exemption. 

[Rochesterfan]

23 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 

I don't think this was true, at least of the previous years of the Pathways program.  In previous years, if the team used the Pathways exemption on him, he immediately became an extra player on the practice squad all season and was NOT subject to waivers.  In return, he could not be brought up all season.

Hap - I don’t believe that was true - He still had to clear waivers just as every other player cut did.  Every NFL team could sign him at that point.

 

The Bills could then offer him a Full PS contract or as they decided the Pathways Program PS contract.  The Bills offered the Pathways offer and that was what he accepted.

 

Again at the end of the both years the Bills had to offer him a futures contract for him to remain a member of the team and come back the following year.  He signed that contract to come back or he could of been a FA either year.

 

Just a quick look at 2019 and 2020 transactions - both years the Bills had to cut Wade at the cut down and then subsequently re-sign him to the PS.

 

He does not automatically move - he is subject to waivers just like every other player.

 

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Rochesterfan

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 minutes ago, Rochesterfan said:

Hap - I don’t believe that was true - He still had to clear waivers just as every other player cut did.  Every NFL team could sign him at that point.

 

The Bills could then offer him a Full PS contract or as they decided the Pathways Program PS contract.  The Bills offered the Pathways offer and that was what he accepted.

 

Again at the end of the both years the Bills had to offer him a futures contract for him to remain a member of the team and come back the following year.  He signed that contract to come back or he could of been a FA either year.

 

Just a quick look at 2029 and 2020 transactions - both years the Bills had to cut Wade at the cut down and then subsequently re-sign him to the PS.

 

He does not automatically move - he is subject to waivers just like every other player.

 

OK, Thanks

[Irv]

This program is just an NFL marketing ploy to get more viewers outside the U.S.   Have any of these guys ever contributed to an NFL team?  

 

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Irv

[Rochesterfan]

6 minutes ago, Irv said:

This program is just an NFL marketing ploy to get more viewers outside the U.S.   Have any of these guys ever contributed to an NFL team?  

 

 

 

Yes - we just signed a guy in Obada from the program.  
 

I believe there are 11 guys trying to get in the pathway for this year - so the numbers are growing making it more and more likely to get guys that will eventually have an impact.

[BuffaloBill]

2 hours ago, Arkady Renko said:

At some point is Wade just going to get sick of being on the PS?  He's getting pretty old for a RB.  

 

 

Depends on what else he can do in his life .... has to be a pretty fun gig for now.

[MAJBobby]

1 hour ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Fine, then let it be that way.  This NFL reserve clause bull#### is 45 years out of date.

 

But can he opt out of the Pathways Program?

Yep he can and then will be out of the league.  The reason it keeps getting extended is with COVID there are no new applicants at this time, going back into th normal IPP Non COVID he would have already been off the program.

1 hour ago, JGMcD2 said:

I don’t think you really understand what you’re talking about right now... Wade himself is on record saying he still has so much to learn and that the playbook still gives him difficulties, he’s still learning block concepts, etc. 

 

If you want to throw him out on the field on game day that’s cool... but you’d likely be the first to whine when he makes a mistake. 
 

He legitimately has 2 years of professional football experience... he’s a world class athlete learning a brand new sport... everyone knows he isn’t ready. 

Not if he’s part of the International program. Bills get an exemption and teams aren’t allowed to poach him. 

 

After he clears waivers.  He is not automatically assigned to the PS Exemption part from what I understand he still has to clear waivers first.

[Irv]

16 minutes ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

Yes - we just signed a guy in Obada from the program.  
 

I believe there are 11 guys trying to get in the pathway for this year - so the numbers are growing making it more and more likely to get guys that will eventually have an impact.

 

Why does the NFL need a special program then?  If there are so many guys oversees that can play professional football, then why not just sign them like you would any other undrafted player?  This is all marketing.  95% of these guys will never see the field.  

 

 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

2 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

How is it any way a positive for CWade to be indentured to the Bills for a third year?  The man should have a chance to play for a team that wants him.  This is just so wrong.

 

Any team can pluck him away from the Bills at roster cutdown day.  Just once he's placed on practice squad, he belongs to Bills for the year.  Last two seasons, no other teams grabbed him, and they will have a 3rd shot at him come early September. 

 

It's also possible the Bills will feel the same way as you do and just cut him, that will help his career alot!

 

 

35 minutes ago, Irv said:

This program is just an NFL marketing ploy to get more viewers outside the U.S.   Have any of these guys ever contributed to an NFL team?  

 

 

 

Man did you walk into this one!!  LOL

 

Even the guy we signed still spent one or two years on PS.  Likely yes you're right 95% won't make it, but without program teams likely wouldn't save a normal PS place for them either.  So it does benefit a small few and is good marketing too.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[MJS]

He isn't getting any younger.