Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew says the NFL team are interested in evaluating Jarryd Hayne once his visa issues have been sorted.
Hayne spent six weeks in the US before Christmas where he enlisted an agent to shop his name around to clubs across the league.
The 26-year-old travelled to the States on a three-month tourist visa but needs to secure the paperwork that would allow him to work before he can formally link up with a team.
A reciprocal agreement between the US and Australian governments allows citizens to acquire working visas once an employer has been found and this is what Hayne is waiting for – indicating he has found a team.
San Francisco 49ers and the Lions were the franchises reported to have shown the most interest in signing Hayne to a futures/reserve contract.
This would allow him the chance to try and force his way onto a team’s 90-man off-season training camp in July if can impress coaches in off-season minicamp starting in April.
Hayne’s name wasn’t on the Lions’ futures list released earlier this week but Mayhew confirmed during his end-of-season media conference that the former Parramatta and NSW fullback is on their radar.
“We’re always on the lookout for players that can help us,” Mayhew said.
“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.
“He’s still out there and he’s still looking at other teams as well. I’m not sure what will happen with him but we’d like to have him.”
A futures/reserve contract prevents other teams from signing a player and they are usually minimum salary deals with no signing bonus.
Hayne travelled to the US with highly-regarded former Eels conditioning coach Hayden Knowles and spent six weeks getting his body into shape before visiting teams.
Scouts were then invited to watch him work out in California where he undertook a series of drills and were believed to be impressed with what they saw.
A futures contract would be a small step in the right direction for Hayne to fulfil his dream.
However, he still faces a challenge of Everest proportions to even take part in a pre-season game – let alone in the NFL – with clubs in a position to cut players at any time during camp.
Teams usually have their depth chart and final roster established well before camp opens and even college players recruited in May’s NFL draft aren’t assured of being signed on after camp.
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