Today, I got contacted through Twitter by a player who hoped to be on a 53-man roster this week. We met because he played in one of the all-star games during the ’15 draft cycle, and we’ve become friendly since. I like him and was glad to hear from him. Anyway, he asked me a few tips about finding a new agent.

This is a pretty regular occurrence, and this won’t be the last message I get this week from players frustrated with their circumstances. It’s even possible that this young man’s agent did a lousy job, but I think there are a few things that need to be said when this situation arises.

• Players aren’t rejected by the NFL because they had a bad agent. Obviously, there’s no way and no how an NFL team was going to overlook the players drafted in the first round last spring, no matter how bad their representation.
• Most of the time, players get extra chances because they had an agent. Agents get players into all-star games; call teams in March, begging scouts to attend out-of-the-way pro days; beg teams again after the draft, hoping to get their players undrafted free agent deals; and often call all summer, begging teams to take one more look.
• If your agent didn’t do a lot of begging, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not a good agent. It just might mean that he came to the conclusion you’re not NFL timber. That doesn’t make you a bad player, or a bad person. It just means you’re not in the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent of football players.
• If you’re frustrated because you’re not in the league, think about how frustrated he is. No. 1, there’s an excellent chance he came out of pocket for thousands of dollars to get you ready for this day. No. 2, he thought you could play or he wouldn’t have signed you, and he’s been proven wrong. No. 3, it’s really frustrating to be told, time after time, that the team is “full,” or just getting no call back at all, or plainly told “don’t call back.” All of these are regular responses from agents calling, hoping for a chance for a client. It’s pretty soul-crushing.
• Contrary to popular belief, the CFL is not automatic if you don’t play in the NFL. Shoot, even the Arena League isn’t automatic. You need slightly different skill sets for each of those leagues. Sometimes — very rarely — a player lacks the skill sets for those leagues, but is a better fit for the NFL.
• The NFL just came off its most intensive period of player evaluation. Making cuts from 90 to 75 isn’t easy, and making cuts from 75 to 53 can be positively painful. There will be many players cut this weekend that wind up having two- to three-year NFL careers, either active or on the practice squad. The point is, those players cut this weekend are pretty much the next call for a team with injuries. If you didn’t spend the last six weeks in camp — and I don’t mean this in a bad way — you probably aren’t getting an NFL job.

If this post spoke to you, and is pretty accurate to your situation, I don’t want you to be discouraged or give up. I only want you to understand the odds against you. That’s the only reason I write this. I want everyone to succeed in football; shoot, that’s our motto. But not everyone can, and that doesn’t make you a bad person.

I hope you’ll be tuning in tonight at 10E/9C for Episode 4 of ‘The Agent’ on the Esquire Network. I know everyone in the business that I’ve spoken to in the business will be catching it, or at least the replay afterwards. Here are three things to focus on as you watch.

• Ed Wasielewski spends a lot of time trying to convince an unsigned NFL veteran to think of himself as a fullback, rather than a tight end. Ed has to cajole, plead, beg and persuade the player (and his fiance’!) to consider a position switch because it’s the only way he’s getting another NFL tryout. Probably 10-12 minutes of the show is spent with Ed on the phone with him, taking him to dinner, or otherwise communicating his need to accept his new fate. It’s incredible for a person outside the game to see this, but players get stuck, mentally, and forget that they are perhaps not as special and deserving of special treatment as they think they are. It usually takes a player 2-3 years outside the game to see how unique it is to be a pro football player.
• Peter Schaffer brings in Mike Murphy, a former Dolphins scout, to provide interview training for his clients. They cover a number of things, but I thought the most striking part of the show is when Murphy is asking tough, direct questions to the players. While agents (like Ed with his client) have to be very schmoozy when trying to persuade their clients, NFL types don’t have to kiss up to them at all. This is something else players don’t easily accept. As an agent, you have to prepare them for this paradigm shift. It’s not always an easy transition, which is one reason Peter does this. Interview training has become a pretty standard part of combine prep, and this is one reason why.
• The trainer featured in tonight’s show is Orlando-based Tom Shaw of Tom Shaw Sports. Tom has worked with hundreds of first-round picks and has decades in the game. But the funny thing is, almost every time you see him tonight, he has on Patriots gear (he works with the Pats during training camp every year). I work with people who are trying to break into the game all the time, and they may want to offer combine prep, or interview training, or any number of other services. But if they don’t have some kind of league background or at least a peripheral tie to the NFL, I always let them know they have an uphill battle ahead. There’s no substitute for the NFL brand when it comes to draft prospects seeking credibility from their trainers, handlers, advisors, etc.

Since the Esquire Network series ‘The Agent’ kicked off three-plus weeks ago, I’ve been talking about it quite a bit with other agents, financial planners and other people in the game. Here’s one response I get from them frequently: “Why do they did they film Ed Wasielewski so much?”

That’s a valid question. Ed has not only gotten lots of film time, but he’s also live-tweeted the show and held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Jeff Guerriero of Pro Source Sports didn’t even show up on Episode 2, and the real insider-level recruiting video has almost always centered on Ed and his potential clients.

There are a couple reasons for this. No. 1, this show is Ed’s baby. When the show was originally being pitched, it was Ed and seasoned NFL producer Amani Martin doing the pitching. The show was even called, ‘Agent Ed.’ It wasn’t until the Esquire Network expressed an interest that another three agents were screened and added to the show.

No. 2, Ed has put the most blood on the screen, so to speak, of all four agents, and it’s not really close. Here’s something I learned recently. The producers of the show sent high-def, state-of-the-art cameras to each of the four contract advisors to film themselves around the office. Others filmed their kids, or day-to-day business interactions, or other mundane activities. Ed used his to film his final interaction with Connecticut DC Byron Jones as Jones tells him it’s not going to work out, and he’s going with New York City-based SportStars. That’s not the kind of thing most agents want to see on film, but Ed was willing to put himself out there.

The feedback I’ve gotten from most agents has been that they really like Ed, but almost wince when they see him go into a final meeting with a player, knowing it’s not going to turn out well (as with Indiana RB Tevin Coleman and his family). They’re constantly astounded by his willingness to look vulnerable and face rejection on camera. But ultimately, they all praise the show’s authenticity. Each one of them says he’s been in the situations that Ed faces, and that’s why I think the show is a must for anyone who aspires to work in the game.

I’ve also talked to several agents who were approached about doing the show, but didn’t want to take the risks that Ed is taking. It’s still to be determined what impact the show will have on Ed’s practice, and I admire his courage.

If you haven’t given the show a chance yet because you’re busy with ‘Hard Knocks’ or some other show, I encourage you to give it a try. It certainly has captured an audience with people in the game.

Tonight, Episode 3 of ‘The Agent’ starts at 10E/9C. Here are a few things to look for.

• Sunny Shah’s firm, 320 Sports, is bought out: Each week in the intro, we get to hear that Shah had back-to-back Top 15 picks, and that’s obviously real success (though in fairness, one of those picks fired him shortly after the draft). Hearing this, one might think, why would he want to merge? The answer is simple. The business is incredibly volatile, and agents are always on a boom-or-bust cycle. Though you could hit it big one year, there are absolutely no guarantees that success will carry over. A regular salary, health insurance, and a 401(k) are not in the picture when you launch your agency. Shah sees a window to a ‘normal’ life and takes it.
• Indiana’s Tevin Coleman picks an agent: Last week, we saw Ed Wasielewski deal with the disappointment of losing out on Connecticut’s Byron Jones, who went on to be the first-round selection of the Cowboys. This week, we are taken into the conference room where Team Coleman conducts its final interviews, and we find out if Ed’s multiple cross-country trips bear fruit. During the first episode, I noted that the Colemans conducted their final interviews in a unique way. I’ll illustrate and expand on that tonight during my live-tweet.
• Pro Source signs two players: Jeff Guerriero’s firm didn’t make so much as a cameo in last week’s show, but this week, they have a pretty prominent role. An impact defensive lineman (Kentucky DT Za’Darius Smith) and a long shot cornerback (Grambling’s Tyree Hollins) sign on the dotted line, and we get to see what’s next as they line up residences, begin training, etc. One thing I think this illustrates is the regional nature of recruiting for most firms. So far, we’ve seen Guerriero and Co. sign a player from Alabama (Smith) and Louisiana (Hollins) and recruit a player from the agency’s hometown (Mississippi State’s Dillon Day). Presuming you have the licenses and the resources, there are no restrictions on where you recruit, but the expenses of casting a wide net usually preclude most agencies from traveling too far.

If you’re interested in the business of football and how decisions are shaped off the field, I hope you’ll tune in tonight. While you’re watching, I hope you’ll check out our live tweet. We’ll be sending out 50-60 bits of information and analysis during tonight’s broadcast. See you tonight!