The NFL’s teams made quick work of signing their first round picks. All 32 players selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft had signed their professional contract before the calendar hit July. A lot has changed on the draft-pick signing front since the 2011 CBA. There used to be several holdouts. Most of those holdouts were first round picks. Now, the second round signings routinely lag behind those of the first round. This year, the fourth round signings are also slow.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia-Signed
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan-Signed
3. Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU-Signed
4. New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati-Signed
5. New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon-Signed
6. Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekonwu, OT, North Carolina State-Signed
7. New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama-Signed
8. Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, WR, USC-Signed
9. Seattle Seahawks: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State-Signed
10. New York Jets: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State-Signed
11. New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State-Signed
12. Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama-Signed
13. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia-Signed
14. Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame-Signed
15. Houston Texans: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M-Signed
16. Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State-Signed
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College-Signed
18. Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas-Signed
19. New Orleans Saints: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa-Signed
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh-Signed
21. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington-Signed
22. Green Bay Packers: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia-Signed
23. Buffalo Bills: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida-Signed
24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa-Signed
25. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa-Signed
26. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State-Signed
27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah-Signed
28. Green Bay Packers: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia-Signed
29. New England Patriots: Cole Strange, OG, Tennessee-Chattanooga-Signed
30. Kansas City Chiefs: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue-Signed
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan-Signed
32. Minnesota Vikings: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed
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The first-round signings are done. As for the remaining six rounds and 230 draft picks, the second round and fourth rounds are significant outliers.
Second Round:
20/32 signed
Third Round:
38/41 signed
Fourth Round:
30/38 signed
Fifth Round:
36/36 signed
Sixth Round:
42/42 signed
Seventh Round:
41/41 signed
All seven rounds:
239/262 signed
It’s the middle of July and there are only 23 unsigned draft picks. In this regard, the 2011 CBA was a gift. The days of holdouts and teams not signing draft picks until July were dreadful. The base numbers for a draft pick’s rookie deal is determined the moment he’s drafted. There signings should be a breeze.
Despite the slotted contract numbers, the second-round signings routinely lag behind those of other rounds. I’ve always found it strange. It’s not like there’s much to negotiate. I guess agents still do their damndest to get close to first-round treatment for players drafted so close to the first round.
The only unsigned players in the third round are the quarterbacks. Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis, and Matt Corral.
The signing status of the fourth round picks is bizarre. The Houston Texans are the reason for the slow fourth round signings. They selected Florida running back Dameon Pierce with the second pick in the fourth round. The base numbers for these rookie contracts are determined by where the player is selected. The Texans exceeded the numbers slotted for Pierce by $25,000. Until recently, he was the only player in the first half of the fourth round that had signed. Over the past few weeks, there’s been some movement on fourth-round signings. The player selected before Pierce and six of the seven players selected after him are still unsigned. The Texans threw a curve ball into the NFL’s draft pick signing system. The NFL doesn’t much care for curve balls thrown into their systems.
After a signing flurry soon after the draft, draft pick signings have slowed for the Minnesota Vikings. The team’s two second round picks are the only unsigned picks.
Vikings Rookie Signings:
1. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed
2. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
2. Ed Ingram, G, LSU
3. Brian Asomoah, LB, Oklahoma-Signed
4. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri-Signed
5. Esezi Otomeco, DL, Minnesota-Signed
5. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina-Signed
6. Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois-Signed
6. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State-Signed
7. Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina-Signed
As with the rest of the league, the Vikings have stalled in getting their second round picks signed.
Teams that have signed their entire draft class:
Arizona
Buffalo
Cincinnati
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams
Miami
New England
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
San Francisco
Washington
Training camps start opening in less than three weeks. 13 of the league’s teams still have some draft picks to sign.
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