Sam Hartman signed with the Washington Commanders after going undrafted over the weekend, and it sounds like he will have a legitimate chance to make the roster next season.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Sunday that Hartman will get a $225,000 base salary guarantee and a $20,000 signing bonus from the Commanders. Those figures are significant for an undrafted player.
The #Commanders gave former Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman one of the biggest guarantees among undrafted free agents: a $20,000 signing bonus and $225,000 base salary guarantee. A sign Hartman is in Washington’s plans for 2024. pic.twitter.com/8emLatqGOV
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 28, 2024
Washington took Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. They also have Marcus Mariota, Jeff Driskel and Jake Fromm. That means there will be serious competition for 53-man roster spots, but the money the Commanders gave Hartman is an indication that they believe he can stick around for a while.
Hartman played in college for six seasons from 2018-2023 — five with Wake Forest, and last year with Notre Dame. He posted impressive stats and passed for 15,656 yards, 134 touchdowns and 49 interceptions during his college career. The feeling from many scouts was that Hartman does not have the arm strength to succeed at the NFL level, which likely explains why he went undrafted.
It appears the Commanders are planning to give Hartman a real opportunity to show he belongs in the NFL.
