In less than a week, all 32 teams will be fully immersed in training camp, and that will include many of the draft picks.
While 257 players were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, there are still a few dozen who remain unsigned at this point. However, that is not the case for one highly anticipated quarterback.
Second Round Picks Are Locking in Guaranteed Contracts
The dominoes keep falling for second-round draft picks.
The latest example? New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who just inked a fully guaranteed deal worth $10.795 million.
Initially reported by Adam Schefter, Shough’s contract stands out because he will receive most of his salary as a roster bonus during the first week of training camp every year.
New Orleans Saints and QB Tyler Shough reached agreement today on a fully-guaranteed $10.795 contract, per @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports.
At pick No. 40, Shough is the last player selected in the 2025 draft to secure a fully-guaranteed deal.
The contract also includes…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 19, 2025
Shough is the 14th second-round pick to sign a contract with guaranteed money, a drastic development that started with the signing of Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins and Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Those two contracts set off a chain reaction, resulting in a spate of second-rounders who chose to hold out.
One by one, even in the face of GMs resorting to tired old rhetoric about players needing practice time, players have been securing guaranteed contracts to some degree.
The Saints took the 6’5″ Shough with the 40th overall pick. With the retirement of Derek Carr, Shough has the inside track to win the Saints’ starting job competition with Spencer Rattler.
The strangest part about the new contract trend for second-round draft picks? It’s not just a few outliers — it’s happening across the board. General managers around the league are increasingly handing out guaranteed deals rather than sticking to the old playbook.
It could be speculated that this is a small concession to make, as rookie contracts are already locked into tiers due to the collective bargaining agreement. It could also be seen as a form of damage control, considering the recent revelation that league leadership was encouraging teams to reduce guaranteed money in the wake of the DeShaun Watson contract.
Whatever the reason, second-round picks getting guaranteed money marks a major shift for the NFL — the only major North American pro league without guaranteed contracts built into its collective bargaining agreement. And yet, it’s all happening with surprisingly little backlash or noise, almost like it just makes good business sense to lock in your talent and get to work.
Shough and the Saints report to training camp in Metairie, Louisiana, on July 23.
