The NFL's second-round pick holdout crisis, explained
That's because 30 out of April's 32 second round draft picks remain unsigned. Only the first two selections of the round -- No. 33 overall pick Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns) and No 34 selection Jayden Higgins (Houston Texans) -- have inked the first contracts of their professional football careers. That means hyped prospects like Nick Emmanwori, Tyler Shough, Luther Burden, Will Johnson and Nic Scourton could all miss training camp this summer.
When the Los Angeles Chargers opened their camp to rookies on July 12, they were missing second rounder Tre Harris. A deluge of his fellow Day 2 selections are in the same boat. So why the holdup creating all these potential holdouts?
The answer may lie in Schwesinger and Higgins' contracts. The two signed fully guaranteed deals -- the first time that's happened under the NFL's most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed in 2020. Higgins received four years and $11.7 million. Schwesinger got four years and $11.8 million. While there's no one official reason for this rash of holdouts, the most likely culprit is that teams don't want to dole out all those guarantees.
For comparison, Cooper DeJean was the 40th overall pick in last year's draft. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for four years and $9.28 million, but only just under $7.5 million of that was guaranteed. Mike Sainristil was the 50th overall pick for the Washington Commanders and signed for four years and $7.7 million with $5.2 million guaranteed. Traditionally, teams are looking to guarantee only 50 to 80-ish percent of a second round pick's rookie contract in order to leave themselves an out in year three or four.
While extenuating circumstances may exist across those 30 ongoing negotiations, the sticking point is almost certainly four-year guarantees. Every NFL first round pick receives one. This May, the 33rd and 34th picks followed suit, providing the precedent that's now being hammered out in front offices across the league. It's not just second round picks -- Cincinnati Bengals first round edge rusher Shemar Stewart is in the middle of a holdout and Denver Broncos Day 1 cornerback Jahdae Barron hasn't signed a contract -- but the bulk of the missing persons reports come training camp are set to be the guys who led off Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Browns weren't able to reset the way contracts are signed after giving Deshaun Watson, formerly accused of more than 20 counts of sexual misconduct and what the NFL itself described as "predatory behavior" dating back to his time as a Houston Texan, a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million extension in 2022. By following the Texans' lead, they may have helped find a way with Schwesinger and his fully guaranteed pact.
Which 2025 NFL Draft second round picks haven't signed?
35. S Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks
36. RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
37. G Jonah Savaiinaea, Miami Dolphins
38. RB TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
39. WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears
40. QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
41. DT T.J. Sanders, Buffalo Bills
42. TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets
43. DT Alfred Collins, San Francisco 49ers
44. EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dallas Cowboys
45. EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau, Indianapolis Colts
46. TE Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams
47. CB Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
48. OT Aireontae Ersery, Houston Texans
49. LB Demetrius Knight, Cincinnati Bengals
50. TE Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks
51. DL Nic Scourton, Carolina Panthers
52. EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo, Tennessee Titans
53. CB Benjamin Morrison, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
54. OT Anthony Belton, Green Bay Packers
55. WR Tre Harris, Los Angeles Chargers
56. OT Ozzy Trapilo, Chicago Bears
57. G Tate Ratledge, Detroit Lions
58. WR Jack Bech, Las Vegas Raiders
59. EDGE Mike Green, Baltimore Ravens
60. RB RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
61. CB Trey Amos, Washington Commanders
62. DT Shemar Turner, Chicago Bears
63. DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Kansas City Chiefs
64. S Andrew Mukuba, Philadelphia Eagles
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