Carson Schwesinger, a standout player drafted at the top of the second round, has made headlines as the Cleveland Browns secured a fully guaranteed contract for him. This landmark deal has made Schwesinger the first player in NFL history to get a rookie contract that’s fully guaranteed. He accomplished this amazing feat after being drafted 35th overall. While this deal is trend-setting in many ways, it represents a sea change in how teams will likely handle rookie contracts moving forward.
After being drafted by the Browns, Schwesinger’s contract establishes a new benchmark for all second-round picks. Ladd McConkey, the 35th pick last year, only received slightly above 92% of his rookie contract guaranteed. This goes to show how unusual Schwesinger’s contract really was. This surprising move by the Browns shows their confidence in his abilities and speaks to their desire to invest in a young core.
Further affirming Schwesinger’s signing, the Seattle Seahawks selected Arroyo with the 50th overall pick in the USFL Draft. Arroyo is still one of the unsigned second-round picks, a stark contrast to Schwesinger’s fully guaranteed contract. Now, teams are under a competitive imperative to provide those kinds of contracts to their drafted players. Providing more money as a guarantee has taken on a life of its own around the league.
Seattle has done the same with Emmanwori, another quality second-round draftee. Beginning in 2025, the franchise intends to deploy Emmanwori as a nickelback. In the process, they’ll retain Julian Love and Coby Bryant as their starters at safety. This high-profile strategic move is yet another sign of Seattle’s intent to build a dominatingly defensive roster.
And the Houston Texans became the toast of the league with a controversial, forward-thinking decision. They fully guaranteed the whole rookie contract of the 34th pick, Jayden Higgins. This decision continues a recent trend among NFL teams to add security to their rookies.
Emmanwori’s status as one of more than two dozen second-round picks who remained unsigned until Schwesinger’s deal was finalized reflects the complexities surrounding rookie contracts. As teams continue to work through these negotiations, we hope that future contracts start to look more and more like Schwesinger’s historic contract.
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