
Because each NFL Draft choice carries a certain value, rookie contract negotiations are almost always a non-issue during the offseason.
On rare occasions, offset language can be a sticking point between first-round picks and their teams. That was the case when Joey Bosa and the Chargers took negotiations down to the final weekend of training camp in 2016, and Shemar Stewart is currently in a similar standoff with the Bengals.
This year, a new wrinkle has changed the equation. As training camp approaches, nearly all second-round picks remain unsigned. Two — Cleveland’s Carson Schwesinger and Houston’s Jayden Higgins — signed deals ahead of rookie minicamp in May, but the next 30 picks are all without a deal. One is already holding out of training camp.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here’s what you need to know about the NFL’s second-round contract disputes and what makes this year different from every other.
MORE: Ranking every NFL Draft class
NFL rookie contract disputes, explained
The contracts signed by Higgins and Schwesinger weren’t ordinary second-round contracts. Instead, they became the first and second players drafted in the second round, respectively, to ever receive fully guaranteed contracts.
With Higgins and Schwesinger signing fully guaranteed deals, other second-round picks appear to be looking for the same type of contract. Saints QB Tyler Shough is “insisting on a fully guaranteed contract,” CBS Sports reported, because he is expected to be the team’s starting quarterback, but he doesn’t seem to be alone in making that demand. Schwesinger and Higgins were the first two picks of the second round, so every player selected between picks No. 35 and 64 is unsigned as of mid-July.
While those players participated in rookie minicamp, one burning question is whether they will be on the field in training camp. The first answer came from Chargers WR Tre Harris, who sat out the start of camp after rookies reported on Saturday.
L.A. has the earliest training camp reporting date because of its participation in the Hall of Fame Game on July 31. The Chargers will face the Lions in that game, but Detroit’s rookies — including second-round center Tate Ratledge — aren’t set to report until July 16.
As rookies around the league start reporting, more light will be shed on whether Harris is the exception or the rule.
MORE: Top 15 matchups on 2025 NFL schedule
Unsigned NFL second-round picks
30 of the 32 second-round picks from the 2025 NFL Draft remain unsigned. Here’s the complete list:
- S Nick Emmanwori, Seahawks (No. 35)
- RB Quinshon Judkins, Browns (No. 36)
- OG Jonah Savaiinaea, Dolphins (No. 37)
- RB TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots (No. 38)
- WR Luther Burden III, Bears (No. 39)
- QB Tyler Shough, Saints (No. 40)
- DT T.J. Sanders, Bills (No. 41)
- TE Mason Taylor, Jets (No. 42)
- DT Alfred Collins, 49ers (No. 43)
- DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Cowboys (No. 44)
- DE JT Tuimoloau, Colts (No. 45)
- TE Terrance Ferguson, Rams (No. 46)
- CB Will Johnson, Cardinals (No. 47)
- OT Aireontae Ersery, Texans (No. 48)
- LB Demetrius Knight, Bengals (No. 49)
- TE Elijah Arroyo, Seahawks (No. 50)
- DE Nic Scourton, Panthers (No. 51)
- DE Oluwafemi Oladejo, Titans (No. 52)
- CB Benjamin Morrison, Buccaneers (No. 53)
- OT Anthony Belton, Packers (No. 54)
- WR Tre Harris, Chargers (No. 55)
- OT Ozzy Trapilo, Bears (No. 56)
- OG Tate Ratledge, Lions (No. 57)
- WR Jack Bech, Raiders (No. 58)
- DE Mike Green, Ravens (No. 59)
- RB RJ Harvey, Broncos (No. 60)
- CB Trey Amos, Commanders (No. 61)
- DT Shemar Turner, Bears (No. 62)
- DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Chiefs (No. 63)
- S Andrew Mukuba, Eagles (No. 64)
When the Chargers became the first team to start training camp, only six rookies outside of the second round remained unsigned around the NFL.
