Early Draft Picks Sign Their Contracts: Understanding Negotiations and Expectations for the NFL Summer

Draft picks have been signing their contracts much earlier than before. While in the past teams would wait until after the Fourth of July to sign their draft picks, nowadays most teams have their draft picks under contract before Memorial Day. As of now, 163 out of 257 draft picks have had their contracts signed and delivered to the NFL Players Association, leaving only a week until the unofficial start of summer.

The highest draft pick under contract is Giants receiver Malik Nabers, who was the sixth overall pick in the draft. A total of 11 first-round picks have already signed their contracts, with round seven having the most picks under contract (34 out of 37). However, there are some issues that can arise during negotiations. The cash flow of signing bonuses, amount of full guarantees at signing, language that could void guarantees and offsets for future guaranteed payments are some potential sticking points. Despite these challenges, most deals are typically slotted and negotiate themselves.

It is expected that most draft picks will be signed before training camp starts. However, it’s not always smooth sailing during negotiations. Teams must consider various factors such as cash flow for signing bonuses and full guarantees at signing while also ensuring that any language included in the contract doesn’t void future guarantees or create offsets for future payments. Despite these challenges, most deals are typically slotted and negotiated on their own without any significant issues arising.