Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Tre Harris isn’t backing down. While training camp started on July 12 for rookies, Harris remains absent, demanding a fully guaranteed contract. General manager Joe Hortiz wants him on the field, but Harris refuses to budge without his guarantee.
What’s Driving Tre Harris’ Contract Holdout Strategy?
The standoff has put the Chargers in a difficult position as they balance roster development with financial precedent. When asked about the timeline for resolution, Hortiz expressed cautious optimism.
“I wish I could put a crystal ball on it,” Hortiz said. “I hope it’s done soon. I hope he gets out here and practices. Practice is vital for everyone, not just him.”
Harris, selected 55th overall in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, has not reported to training camp. His demand? A fully guaranteed contract.
GM Hoe Hortiz on second round WR Tre’ Harris, who is not at camp and one of 30 unsigned second round rookies:
“I wish I could put a crystal ball on it. I hope it’s done soon. I hope he gets out here and practices, practice is vital for everyone, not just him.”
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) July 16, 2025
The holdout has dragged on amid unprecedented moves earlier this offseason. Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger (No. 33) and Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (No. 34) both secured fully guaranteed rookie deals in May, making them the first second-round picks to secure guaranteed contracts since rookie contracts were slotted according to draft position under the CBA in 2011.
How Does Alfred Collins’ Deal Change Everything?
The financial precedent appeared to scale with expectations, until July 16, when the San Francisco 49ers’ No. 43 pick, defensive tackle Alfred Collins, shook the market again. Collins agreed to a four-year, $10.3 million contract with $9 million guaranteed, about 87% of the deal, providing a new benchmark.
Collins’s agreement could prompt a rush of signings among the remaining second-rounders holding out en masse.
The Collins contract may boost Harris’s leverage. Collins achieved a near-top-tier guarantee despite being selected later than Harris, which may strengthen the wide receiver’s negotiating position.
Harris, a standout at Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss with 220 receptions, 3,532 yards, and 29 touchdowns, is vying for snaps alongside Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, Derius Davis, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. However, until he secures a contract, he remains sidelined during a critical time for rapport-building with quarterback Justin Herbert and position coaches.
As of this writing, 29 second-round picks remain unsigned, including New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson, Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III, Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson, and Browns running back Quinshon Judkins.
This bevy of holdouts mirrors Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart’s refusal to sign a contract in which the Bengals wish to change language established through collective bargaining.
The NFL is the only of the four major American sports leagues, the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, in which player contracts are not fully guaranteed by default.
This fundamental difference disadvantages NFL players compared to other major sports leagues. For Harris and the remaining holdouts, the fight for guaranteed money could reshape how the NFL values its youngest talent.
