It's a different sort of time that we're living in right now. In the grand scheme of things the signings of the football players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft seems trivial. Well, it's important here. The 32 teams apparently don't agree as most of them are signing their new players at a much slower rate than recent years.
First Round Signings:
1. Cincinnati Bengals-Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Washington Redskins-Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
3. Detroit Lions-Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
4. New York Giants-Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
5. Miami Dolphins-Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama-Signed
6. Los Angeles Chargers-Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
7. Carolina Panthers-Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn-Signed
8. Arizona Cardinals-Isaiah Simmons, S, Clemson
9. Jacksonville Jaguars-C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
10. Cleveland Browns-Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
11. New York Jets-Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
12. Las Vegas Raiders-Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Tristan Wirfs, OG, Iowa
14. San Francisco 49ers-Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
15. Denver Broncos-Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
16. Atlanta Falcons-A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
17. Dallas Cowboys-CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
18. Miami Dolphins-Austin Jackson, OT, USC
19. Las Vegas Raiders-Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
20. Jacksonville Jaguars-K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
21. Philadelphia Eagles-Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
22. Minnesota Vikings-Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
23. Los Angeles Chargers-Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
24. New Orleans Saints-Ceasar Ruiz, C, Michigan
25. San Francisco 49ers-Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
26. Green Bay Packers-Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
27. Seattle Seahawks-Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech
28. Baltimore Ravens-Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
29. Tennessee Titans-Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia
30. Miami Dolphins-Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
31. Minnesota Vikings-Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
32. Kansas City Chiefs-D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Two. Only two first round picks have signed their initial NFL contract. This time last year, ten first round picks had signed.
The rest (as of 5/11):
2nd round: 4/32
3rd round: 4/42
4th round: 3/40
5th round: 5/33
6th round: 7/35
7th round: 3/41
By the above accounting, 28 of the 255 players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft have signed. That's a tick under 11%. By 5/18 of last year, 74.4% of the picks selected in the 2019 NFL had signed. There will have to be a flood of signings over the next week to catch that pace.
The Patriots are running counter to the rest of the league, surprise, in the signing of draft picks. Of their 10 draft picks, only top pick Kyle Dugger, selected in the second round, remains unsigned. The Patriots probably would've signed him as well but they can't afford to do so. They'll have to free up some cap space before signing Dugger.
The Vikings are at the other end of the draft pick signing spectrum. They have signed none of their 15 draft picks. The past couple years they operated under the draft pick signing philosophy of getting it done before they see the rookies on the field. They made it point of getting their entire draft class signed before the first rookie mini-camp, the weekend following the draft. Not this year. No mini-camp. No need to immediately sign the draft picks. Besides, the Vikings brass worked so damn hard collecting 15 draft picks and adding two 2021 picks that they probably needed a break.
It's a different sort of time and a more casual draft-pick signing pace in the NFL.
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