Update On Remaining Unsigned Draftees

By our count, 204 of this year’s 256 draftees (nearly 80%) have formally agreed to terms with their new NFL teams, leaving just 52 unsigned rookies on the board. Since the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement leaves little room for negotiation on signing bonus money and the overall value of four-year rookie contracts, teams and players can only quibble on things like guaranteed money and offsets.

As such, it’s no surprise that nearly all the late-round picks, who don’t receive as much guaranteed money, have inked their deals, while the majority of first-rounders still remain unsigned. Here’s a quick breakdown of players by round who have signed:

• First round: 14 of 32 signed (43.75%)
• Second round: 20 of 32 signed (62.5%)
• Third round: 22 of 36 signed (61.11%)
• Fourth round: 38 of 40 signed (95%)
• Fifth round: 36 of 36 signed (100%)
• Sixth round: 37 of 39 signed (94.87%)
• Seventh round: 37 of 41 signed (90.24%)

So why have all the fifth-rounders signed while there are still a few sixth- and seventh-rounders not yet under contract? One team is responsible — the Rams, who didn’t have a fifth-round pick but who had six selections in the sixth and seventh rounds, have yet to lock up any of their draftees.

A year ago, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher wanted to take the team’s rookies through “Financial Planning 101” before those players received their signing bonuses. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Rams are doing the same thing this year, delaying the signing process to ensure that their players know how to manage their money when they receive it.

While the Rams have yet to formally sign any of their 2014 selections, many teams have already ensured that all of their draftees are under contract. The Ravens, Bills, Bears, Colts, Chiefs, Saints, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks, and Redskins have locked up their respective draft classes.

Here’s the full list by team of players who have yet to sign their rookie contracts, by our count:

• Arizona Cardinals: Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State (1.27)
• Atlanta Falcons: Dezmen Southward, S, Wisconsin (3.68)
• Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State (1.28); Trai Turner, G, LSU (3.92)
• Cincinnati Bengals: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (1.24)
• Cleveland Browns: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State (1.8); Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (1.22); Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada (2.35); Christian Kirksey, LB, Iowa (3.71); Terrance West, RB, Towson (3.94)
• Dallas Cowboys: Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame (1.16); Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Boise State (2.34)
• Denver Broncos: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State (1.31)
• Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (1.10); Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (2.40)
• Green Bay Packers: Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State (2.53); Richard Rodgers, TE, California (3.98)
• Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (1.1); Xavier Su’a-Filo, G, UCLA (2.33)
• Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles, QB, UCF (1.3); Marqise Lee, WR, USC (2.39); Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State (2.61); Brandon Linder, G, Miami (FL) (3.93)
• Miami Dolphins: Ja’Wuan James, OT, Tennessee (1.19); Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (2.63); Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota State (3.67)
• Minnesota Vikings: Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern (3.96)
• New England Patriots: Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (1.29)
• New York Giants: Jay Bromley, DT, Syracuse (3.74)
• New York Jets: Dexter McDougle, CB, Maryland (3.80)
• Oakland Raiders: Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi State (3.81)
• Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Smith, DE/OLB, Louisville (1.26)
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State (1.15); Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (2.46); Dri Archer, RB, Kent State (3.97); Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (4.119)
• St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn (1.2); Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh (1.13); Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State (2.41); Tre Mason, RB, Auburn (3.75); Maurice Alexander, S, Utah State (4.110); E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri (6.188); Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU (6.214); Mitchell Van Dyk, OT, Portland State (7.226); Christian Bryant, S, Ohio State (7.241); Michael Sam, DE/OLB, Missouri (7.249); Demetrius Rhaney, C, Tennessee State (7.250)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (1.7); Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (2.38); Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (3.69)
• Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (1.11); Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (2.54)