As training camp draws near, the overwhelming majority of this year’s NFL Draft picks have inked their rookie contracts. As shown on PFR’s tracker, 242 rookies have put pen to paper, leaving only the following 14 players in limbo:
- Browns, 1-1: Baker Mayfield, QB (Oklahoma)
- Giants, 1-2: Saquon Barkley, RB (Penn State)
- Jets, 1-3: Sam Darnold, QB (USC)
- Browns, 1-4: Denzel Ward, CB (Ohio State)
- Bills, 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming)
- Bears, 1-8: Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)
- 49ers, 1-9: Mike McGlinchey, T (Notre Dame)
- Steelers, 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech)
- Jaguars, 1-29: Taven Bryan, DT (Florida)
- Vikings, 1-30: Mike Hughes, CB (UCF)
- Patriots, 1-31: Sony Michel, RB (Georgia)
- Colts, 2-36: Darius Leonard, LB (South Carolina State)
- 49ers, 2-44: Dante Pettis, WR (Washington)
- Giants, 5-139: RJ McIntosh, DT (Miami)
All but three of the unsigned players are in the first round, but the circumstances surrounding each negotiation are not the same. For those in the top 10, the holdup appears to be over offset language. When it comes to the players in the backend of the first round, agents are haggling over guarantees in the fourth year of the rookie contracts.
Before fans panic about potential holdouts, it’s important to remember that elongated negotiations are not uncommon, even under the simplified parameters set forth by the current CBA. Late last June, we had a dozen stragglers still waiting to sign their first NFL deals. The time to worry, if there ever is one, will come when training camp opens later this month.