NFL Rookies yet to sign contracts
The NFL preseason kicks off at the beginning of next month, and while each team wants to have full squad, some rookies still have yet to sign a contract.
NFL fans are counting the days, hours and seconds until Week 1 of the season, but in the meantime we will have to make do with training camp, and preseason games. There is still a whole lot to be done before the exhibitions get underway, and one of the first orders of business is getting all the rookies signed to contracts.
Cap limit structures rookie contracts
At the moment there are currently six rookies that were drafted in the first round that still have not signed a contract with their team. Obviously the quicker teams and players can work out a deal, the quicker that player can get on the field and start to incorporate with the rest of the squad.
We used to see early first round picks hold out and demand more money because up until 2011, there was no limit or salary cap for rookie wages. Now there is a more structured amount of money that the 1-32 pick get during the draft. All contracts are for four years, with an option for a fifth year and there is no restructuring of the deal until year three.
While there is not much wiggle room for top picks to try to squeeze every penny out of their future employer, that doesn’t always stop them from trying. While a lot of the “fun” and the negotiations have been taken out of the process, there are still rookies that haven’t signed with their teams just weeks before training camps are scheduled to begin.
Rookies yet to sign a deal as of July 10th
Bryce Young, QB Carolina Panthers
The Panthers futility last year was rewarded in the form of the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. They took Bryce Young hoping to finally get some stability at the QB position, but they are still waiting for him to sign on the dotted in Carolina.
C.J. Stroud, QB Houston Texans
Seeing QBs go #1/#2 in the draft is something that is getting more common. C.J. Stroud was the second pick in the draft after a couple of fantastic seasons at Ohio State. He is likely to be the QB of the future, but will he be under center at any point this year in Houston? He and the Texans are going to have to agree to terms before they start thinking about if he will QB1, 2 or 3.
Anthony Richardson, QB Indianapolis Colts
Richardson became the third QB taken in the first four picks of the NFL Draft when he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts. After their gamble on Matt Ryan didn’t pay off, it’s back to the beginning in Indy, and the quicker Richardson signs this deal the better off the Colts will be.
Devon Witherspoon, CB Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks know a little something about fantastic defensive backs. They were led by the Legion of Boom for about a decade and in the post-Legion/post-Russell Wilson era, they are looking to get back to being a Super Bowl contender. Witherspoon was the first CB taken in the draft, with good reason after a fantastic career at University of Illinois.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Detroit Lions
Gibbs was the second running back taken off the board during this year’s Draft. He was the work horse in the back field for a program that is known for producing elite running backs at the next level. The Lions will be hoping that he can produce at a similar level, although Detroit and their first round draft pick have yet to agree to terms.
Will McDonald IV EDGE, New York Jets
There is a whole lot of excitement in New York after Aaron Rodgers made the move of the offseason, agreeing to part ways with the Packers. No one can wait to see this new look offense in the Big Apple, but McDonald will going to bring some excitement to the defensive side of the ball.
Emmanuel Forbes, CB Washington Commanders
Forbes was projected to be drafted a little higher up, but dropped to the 16th pick. He lost a few million dollars with every team that skipped over him. That may be a reason he and the Commanders haven’t come to an agreement just yet.
Christian Gonzalez, CB New England Patriots
We all know Bill Belichick and company aren’t the most generous when it comes to negotiations, but as we know there is not much wiggle room for either party to try to sway from rookie contract regulations. The Pats defense has a lot of room for improvement, and Belichick will want Gonzalez in camp from Day 1 so expect a deal to get done sometime within the next few weeks.