The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association has largely taken the negotiating out of rookie contracts. A draft pick’s contract is determined by the spot where he was drafted, and for the most part there’s not a lot of wiggle room for teams and agents.
This year, the vast majority of rookies have already signed, including every single pick in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds, and more than 90 percent of third-round picks. But in the fourth round, something odd is happening.
Only about a quarter of the players drafted in the fourth round have signed their contracts, and according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, that’s largely due to the contract the Texans gave fourth-round running back Dameon Pierce.
The Texans paid Pierce $25,000 more than they had to according to his draft slot as the second pick of the fourth round, and that has led other fourth-round picks’ agents to ask for the same. Of the first 15 players drafted in the fourth round, Pierce is the only one who has signed his rookie contract.
Eventually, all those picks will sign. But it’s slower going than usual, and Pierce’s contract with the Texans appears to be the reason.
