NFL rookie contract shakeup: 30 second-round picks still unsigned as guaranteed deals disrupt the system

With just a month left until training camps kick off, one surprising trend has emerged: nearly the entire second round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains unsigned. While rookie deals are usually a formality in today’s league, this year’s second-round class has thrown a wrench into that timeline.

Why? Two early signings—Houston’s Jayden Higgins and Cleveland’s Carson Schwesinger—have quietly set a new bar, demanding fully guaranteed contracts that were once reserved for first-rounders. Now, teams like the Seattle Seahawks are in a holding pattern as the ripple effects of those deals play out.

Guaranteed rookie deals spark second-round freeze, signaling a major shift in NFL contract norms

As of mid-June, 40 drafted players remained unsigned—and 30 of them were taken in the second round. It’s a staggering number, especially when you consider the precedent.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, only two second-rounders have officially inked their rookie contracts: linebacker Carson Schwesinger (No. 33, Browns) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (No. 34, Texans).What do both players have in common? Fully guaranteed rookie deals—an anomaly for players outside the first round.“When Higgins signed his contract with the Texans, it raised eyebrows,” Florio explained during an appearance on PFT Live this week.

“Not just because it was historic, but because it forced every other team to reassess how they structure second-round deals.” Schwesinger’s contract soon followed the same pattern, suggesting this could be more than a one-off.

Among the teams affected by this contract standoff are the Seahawks, who moved up to grab safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th pick and also added tight end Elijah Arroyo later in the second round.

They’ve signed nine of their 11 rookies—but these two remain unsigned.Seattle fans may recall that this wouldn’t be their first experience with a groundbreaking second-round deal. In 2023, outside linebacker Derick Hall had most of his signing bonus paid before training camp and secured $100,000 guaranteed in his fourth season. However, that hasn’t been the standard. Zach Charbonnet, Boye Mafe, and Kenneth Walker—other recent Seahawks second-rounders—don’t have any guaranteed salary entering the final years of their deals.

This standoff might just be the beginning of the NFL’s next contract revolution

This isn’t about players trying to stir drama. It’s a negotiation ripple that began with a bold new precedent—and could signal a permanent change to how second-round deals are structured. Emmanwori and Arroyo will likely sign eventually, but whether they follow the Higgins-Schwesinger route remains to be seen.As Florio put it, “This might be the new normal. And the NFLPA has every reason to smile about it.”Until pen meets paper in Seattle and beyond, the rookie contract clock keeps ticking—and the rest of the league is watching.Also Read: The Cleveland Browns won’t start Shedeur Sanders — But he might be the future they can’t overlook