Four quarterbacks taken early in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the top overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the Los Angeles Rams’ Ty Simpson at 13th overall, haven’t signed their first contracts yet. Seven total selections are still without a deal, but before anyone hits the panic button and starts screaming “holdout,” remember this isn’t the old NFL. We’re talking early June here, and it’s far too early to be genuinely concerned.
The New Rookie Reality
If this were 2009, we’d be in full freak-out mode, right? Back then, seeing a high draft pick unsigned felt like a total nightmare. Imagine a guy like Matthew Stafford, who snagged a six-year, $72 million deal with $41.7 million guaranteed when the salary cap was only $123 million. Or think about Sam Bradford’s massive contract after his 2010 holdout. Those days are gone, thank goodness. The rookie wage scale, implemented in 2011, changed everything. Now, every pick has a specific value set even before the draft kicks off. Teams know exactly what they’re paying, and rookies know what they’re getting. It means these unsigned guys aren’t holding out for an insane, cap-eating payday.
It’s All About The Fine Print
If it’s not about the money, what’s the hold-up then? It’s all about the minute details, like “offset language” and other relatively minor points in the contract. These aren’t huge salary negotiations anymore; they’re tiny tweaks in the fine print. Fernando Mendoza’s eventual four-year deal, for example, will be fully guaranteed and worth a total of $57.3 million. Ty Simpson, the 13th overall pick? His contract will also be fully guaranteed, clocking in right around $25.4 million over four years, including a $14.9 million signing bonus. Both Mendoza and Simpson, as first-rounders, are getting fully guaranteed deals, which has been standard for top picks since Cam Newton signed his $22 million deal when the scale started in 2011.
Precedent For The Future
This isn’t a dramatic player-versus-team standoff like we saw last year when Shemar Stewart of the Cincinnati Bengals held out into training camp. This is more of a “minor mutation” of the rookie wage scale era, which basically means it’s a new wrinkle. The real stakes here are what these tiny, technical sticking points for Mendoza, Simpson, Carson Beck (65th pick), and Drew Allar (76th pick) will mean for future draft classes. The way these contracts ultimately get finalized could set a precedent for every draftee coming into the league next year and beyond.
What’s Next
It’s still far too early to be genuinely concerned, but keeping a close eye on how these deals get done is key. This isn’t just about getting these four talented quarterbacks onto the field; it’s about shaping the fine print for every draftee stepping into the NFL for years to come. These negotiations are gonna have ripples felt league-wide.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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