Signing top NFL draft picks used to be hard. Holdouts were common, with stalemates occasionally lasting deep into summer.
Not anymore. That was the old world of post-draft negotiations, before a rookie wage scale streamlined the process considerably.
Case and point: Kyler Murray has already signed his contract. The No. 1 overall pick did so Thursday before Arizona’s rookie minicamp, locking down a four-year contract worth a fully-guaranteed $35.158 million, with a fifth-year option after that.
The deal was signed without worry of a lower pick eclipsing the deal, a major holdup under the pre-2011 CBA. Every draft slot has a salary target, with little room to negotiate. There are occasionally issues, with Joey Bosa holding out in 2016 over offset language, and Roquan Smith taking issues with how some guarantees could be voided last year.
It’s smooth sailing most of the time, as we can see from dozens of draft picks and a few top selections already signed. Odds are good the Raiders won’t have major issues with their three first-round picks, even if they take time to work the contracts out. Moving to Nevada, where there is no state income tax, may add some wrinkles to talks and the deals themselves.
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The Silver and Black have signed the bottom half of their draft class, with their early picks outstanding.
NFL
Using numbers from the NFL salary website overthecap.com, there are educated estimates for what deals for each of the Raiders' top four picks could look like. Overall, OTC estimates signing the entire Raiders draft class should require $14.342 million in salary cap space this season.
Let’s take a look at what each top pick is estimated to earn over the life of a fully-guaranteed four-year contract. The three first-round picks also have a fifth-year team option attached to their contracts not included in the totals below.
-- DE Clelin Ferrell (No. 4 overall): $31.360 million total ($20.827 million signing bonus); $5.701 million 2019 cap number
-- RB Josh Jacobs (No. 24 overall): $11.933 million total ($6.698 million signing bonus); $2.169 million 2019 cap number
-- S Johnathan Abram (No. 27 overall): $11.495 million total ($6.380 million signing bonus); $2.090 million 2019 cap number
-- CB Trayvon Mullen (No. 40 overall): $7.259 million total ($3.299 million signing bonus); $1.319 million 2019 cap number
NOTE: All figures taken from overthecap.com.