The Minnesota Vikings selected 10 players in the 2015 NFL Draft that closed on March 2. They signed all ten players to their first NFL contracts on March 7. 5 days! Last year they had top picks Anthony Barr and Teddy Bridgewater signed 10 days after they were drafted. Not bad. This year they have Trae Waynes, Erick Kendricks, and their rest of their class signed five days after they were drafted. When it comes to quick work like this it's easy to love the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was signed in 2011. This agreement tossed out the ridiculous rookie contracts handed to players that hadn't even taken an NFL snap. Pretty much all rookie contracts are now scripted. There might be a little "wiggle room" but the basics are there. Despite the script it's still taken the teams a few years to get into the swing of this grand new world but they are getting there. The Chicago Bears were one of the first teams to make quick work of their rookie deals. Others are following. The Houston Texans joined the Vikings in getting all of their rookies signed in a single day. That's quick. Efficient.
The Vikings made quick work of the rookie deals because they wanted it out of the way before the start of the rookie minicamp. They didn't want their new players worrying about contracts. They wanted their new players to be focused on football. It sounds like a fine strategy.
It's simply fantastic to be rid of the days of rookie holdouts.
Signed to four-year deals were:
Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes, first round, No. 11 overall, $7.674 million signing bonus, $12.944 million total.
UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks, second round, No. 45, $2.009 million bonus, $5.155 million total.
LSU defensive end Danielle Hunter, third round, No. 88, $627,724 bonus, roughly $2.9 million total.
Pittsburgh tackle T.J. Clemmings, fourth round, No. 110, $524,956 bonus, $2.804 million total.
Southern Illinois tight end MyCole Pruitt, fifth round, No. 143, $230,588 bonus, $2.51 million total.
Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs, fifth round, No. 146, $227,712 bonus, $2.507 million total.
Oklahoma tackle Tyrus Thompson, sixth round, No. 185, $128,808 bonus, $2.408 million total.
Louisville defensive end B.J. DuBose, sixth round, No. 193, $119,860 bonus, $2.399 million total.
Alabama guard Austin Shepherd, seventh round, No. 228, $69,696 bonus, $2.349 million total.
Newberry linebacker Edmund Robinson, seventh round, No. 232, $68,132 bonus, $2.348 million total. Waynes, Kendricks, Clemmings, and Diggs took some questions from the media on their first day as Vikings football players. Of course they were asked about their new NFL contracts. They sounded more interested in the football side of things. The fun stuff. It sounds like the quick work on the rookie deals accomplished their goal.
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