Rookie contracts only have a few areas for negotiations, the Texans Jayden Higgins deal could impact Browns, others
It almost feels like football is in the air. NFL free agency has mostly come and gone, leaving RB Nick Chubb and others still looking for work, the NFL draft is finished and Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp starts on Friday, when we might hear from QB Shedeur Sanders for the first time.
For years now, contract negotiations with NFL draft picks haven’t been an issue. Gone are the days of huge holdouts, uncertainty about how much top picks are getting paid and excruciating details about what the holdups are.
The Houston Texans contract with WR Jayden Higgins may have just caused an issue for the Browns and other teams at the top of the second round, which could resurrect some of those older discussions.
Since the CBA limited rookie contracts, agents have had two general things to negotiate: Guaranteed money and offset language. The latter only matters if a player is cut while still being owed guaranteed money from their rookie deal. Agents want the player to get all of that money and whatever his new team would give him while teams want the new team’s contract to offset what they owe the player.
The bigger deal, and what the Texans just impacted, has been guaranteed deals outside of the first round. Until now, no team has ever fully guaranteed a contract for a second-round or later player. Houston just did with Higgins:
The #Texans and rookie WR Jayden Higgins have agreed to a fully guaranteed 4-year $11,700,824 contract, per Higgins’ agent Chris Cabott of @EquitySports.
Higgins is the first 2nd round pick in NFL history to have a fully guaranteed contract.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2025
Higgins was the No. 33 pick in this year’s draft, right after Cleveland selected LB Carson Schwesinger. The Browns added RB Quinshon Judkins just two picks after Higgins.
Schwesinger’s agent will expect Cleveland to fully guarantee his player’s deal now and Judkins’ representation could have the same expectation given how closely the two players were selected. The Seattle Seahawks, who selected CB Nick Emmanwori with the pick after Higgins, could try to hold the line with their selection but any delay could delay Judkins and others near the top of the second round from signing.
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?
The line in the sand that only first-round picks got guaranteed deals has been crossed. How far down in the second round that impacts will be interesting. The Browns will almost certainly have to do the same with Schwesinger and, perhaps, Judkins.
For Cleveland fans, the Texans being a problem is nothing new after the Deshaun Watson trade and knocking the Browns out of the playoffs two seasons ago.