Jarryd Hayne NFL: Detroit Lions deal pending, five burning questions on NRL star’s switch

JARRYD Hayne is just a visa away from a major step towards his NFL dream. Here’s five burning questions on the next step in the former NRL star’s odyssey.

Jarryd Hayne arrived back in Sydney today from the United States. Hayne flew back in on a Virgin Australia flight from Los Angeles after spending a few months in the States pursuing his NFL dream. Picture: Bradley Hunter

AFTER spending some time relaxing in Bali, Jarryd Hayne is back in Australia awaiting the paperwork that will allow him to push ahead with his dream to play in the NFL.

As soon as a work visa comes through, it is expected that Hayne will sign a futures contract with Detroit Lions, who were reportedly on the verge of bringing the former NRL superstar in when the paperwork issues emerged.

WE WANT HAYNE: LIONS GM

What else is awaiting Hayne assuming a futures contract isn’t far away?

Here are five burning questions.

WHAT’S A FUTURES CONTRACT?

It’s pretty simple, really.

Teams can sign players not on active rosters to futures contracts as soon as the regular season is over (which is now). It is a manoeuvre by teams to secure the services of players they think might compete for a roster spot during the pre-season.

Futures contracts aren’t for elite players. Rather, they are used for players on the fringes with the potential to crack the 53-man roster the following season. There is no limit to how many players a franchise can sign to futures contracts, although they must fit under the mandated 90-man salary cap.

There are no guarantees. Futures contracts are usually modest in value and are little more than a foot in the door of a prospective NFL career.

Hayne has caught the attention of an NFL franchise. Now he has to keep it.

Jarryd Hayne at the announcement he was quitting the NRL to “chase his dream”. Pic: Gregg Porteous

IS HE DEFINITELY GOING TO THE LIONS?

There has been interest shown by other franchises, so until Hayne actually signs on the dotted line with Detroit, it’s possible another team could swoop in.

In October last year, Seattle’s Super Bowl winning coach Pete Carroll described Hayne as “an incredible athlete” and refused to rule the Seahawks out of the race for the NRL star’s signature, although it later emerged that Carroll might have been joking to get a rise out of Australian media.

The San Francisco 49ers also took a close look at Hayne when he was training in California but the Lions remain firm favourites to win the race for the highly rated Aussie.

Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew has confirmed his NFL team wants to sign the former NRL superstar, but no deal has yet been done.

“We’re always on the lookout for players that can help us,” said Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew at his end-of-season press conference.

“We’ve brought other guys in in the past - ‘Kickalicious’ (Norwegian kicker Havard Rugland), and (US rugby player) Carlin Isles, we’ve had other guys in who we’ve taken a look at, taken an extensive look at.

“Jarryd Hayne falls in that category. He’s a guy we want to evaluate.

And it wouldn’t be a bad place for Hayne to land.

The Lions were strong enough this season to make the playoffs with an 11-5 record before being dumped out by Dallas in the wildcard game.

Detroit have won four NFL Championships, but none since 1957.

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell is flanked by general manager Martin Mayhew and president Tom Lewand.

HAVE RUGBY LEAGUE/UNION PLAYERS MADE THE SWITCH BEFORE?

Yes, they have. Australian backrower Hayden Smith played seven games at tight end for the New York Jets in 2012 before returning to English rugby club Saracens.

“It was like learning another language,” Smith said in October. “It is certainly a different process and a lot of work, but Jarryd will be well aware of that.”

Australian Colin Scotts (defensive end), American Richard Tardits (linebacker), New Zealander David Dixon (guard) are among the other players to have made the transition in non-kicking/punting roles.

Detroit have chanced their arm on a rugby player in the recent past, too.

US sevens flyer Carlin Isles was signed to a futures contract in January, but was cut in May. He is now playing club rugby in Glasgow.

Jarryd Hayne is hoping to use his speed and power to break into the NFL.

WHAT POSITION WILL HE PLAY?

The consensus is that Hayne’s best fit within the NFL will be as a running back.

Having relocated to the US with an eye to transforming himself into a genuine NFL prospect, one of Hayne’s key moves has been to link with former San Diego Chargers offensive co-ordinator Clarence Shelmon — best known as a running back coach who has also worked with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams (now St Louis).

Shelmon has worked with the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson, Lorenzo Neal, Emmitt Smith and Chris Warren.

Running back Reggie Bush recommended Jarryd Hayne to his Detroit Lions. Pic: Brett Costello

“Shelmon has coached some of the greatest running backs to ever play the game,” Hayne said.

“To have his wisdom and to have him coach me gave me a big boost. He has been my running back coach — our first session was four-and-a-half hours in the classroom.”

NFL superstar Reggie Bush, a Detroit Lions running back who now represents Hayne’s competition, has raved about the NRL player’s potential in the position.

“This guy — wow,’’ he said after watching highlights of Hayne. “He actually looks like an NFL running back. Looks like he could come play with us tomorrow.”

CAN HE ACTUALLY MAKE IT?

The odds remain stacked against Hayne, who is still at a preliminary stage of making an NFL roster. He is up against established superstars already locked into rosters, plus many other hopefuls (most of them younger) who have played American football all their lives.

Hayne is still learning on the job, but he is relishing the challenge. Now he looks to have a foot in the door, albeit tenuous, who’s to say he won’t realise his dream of playing in the USA’s biggest sport?

What a game #cowboysvspackers big call on that @DezBryant catch! What a play tho!

— jarryd hayne (@jarrydhayne_1) January 11, 2015

Hayne tested in front of scouts from 12 NFL teams this month, impressing sufficiently with his speed and agility that he had offers to trial for a futures contract with several clubs.

Having focused on building pure speed and power in training for his new career, he has reportedly brought his 40-yard dash times down to the benchmark level — below 4.5 sec for what is a critical performance indicator in American football.

Hayne’s physique has been the subject of much debate. His 187cm height makes him taller than all of the NFL’s top five running backs (rated by the league at the time of his switch as Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch and Eddie Lacy). He left the NRL at 100kg, heavier than most running backs yet at the same time lacking their explosive muscularity.

Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch is one of the NFL’s top running backs.

Hayne’s training has been geared around converting himself from an athlete who plays continuously for 80 minutes in rugby league to one who operates in short, sharp dynamic bursts in NFL. He has backed himself to make the change successfully and early signs are good.

Hayne says he has also enjoyed the mental challenge of the NFL, where offences operate with phonebook-thick playbooks.

“That stuff excites me because it is new to me,” he said.

Originally published as Jarryd Hayne NFL: Detroit Lions deal pending, five burning questions on NRL star’s switch