Drama, rumors continue with Shemar Stewart, the Browns second rounder is among many in the NFL draft unsigned
As the sun and wind scorch Ohio and much of the Midwest, the Cleveland Browns enjoy a break in their offseason. In what started with the NFL combine back in February, the NFL offseason has one final marker: Training camp.
Long gone is much of NFL free agency, the NFL draft has come and gone, and most/all offseason training activities are also in the books. Yet, a large number of draft picks remained unsigned, including 30 from the second round, like Browns RB Quinshon Judkins.
The rest of Cleveland’s draft class, including fellow second-rounder LB Carson Schwesinger, have signed their deals so what is the holdup with the 34 players unsigned?
First, the Cincinnati Bengals and DE Shemar Stewart remain at a stalemate over what is considered voidable guarantees in his deal. The only other unsigned first-rounder is CB Jahdae Barron, but little is known about the holdup in signing with the Denver Broncos. There is also little known about why the Jacksonville Jaguars have not gotten deals done with RB Bhayshul Tuten and LB Jack Kiser, both fourth-round picks.
What we do know is why 30 players in the second round have not signed: Guaranteed contracts.
As we noted in early May, when the Houston Texans signed WR Jayden Higgins to a fully guaranteed deal, it was likely to set off problems for other teams. The Browns gave Schwesinger, selected the pick before Higgins, the same fully guaranteed deal, but now are in a holding pattern.
The Seattle Seahawks are next up in making a decision with the third pick in the second round, S Nick Emmanwori. If they hold fast to not guaranteeing the entire deal, Cleveland will not have to do so either with Judkins. If the Seahawks continue the guaranteed deal path with Emmanwori, GM Andrew Berry will have to decide if he wants to hold the line with Judkins, the fourth pick in the second round.
As we asked when the Higgins deal was completed, what is to stop RB TreVeyon Henderson, selected No. 38 by the New England Patriots, from expecting a fully guaranteed deal now? What about QB Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints at No. 40?
For now, the second round is waiting for Seattle to make a decision, which will either set the market for the rest as not fully guaranteed or put Berry and the Browns in the crosshairs on whether they will guarantee Judkins’ deal fully or not.