The Green Bay Packers have signed every selection from the 2025 draft class to a rookie contract except offensive tackle Anthony Belton. The No. 53 pick is set to begin OTAs with the rest of the Packers’ veterans this week without a deal in place.
Belton isn’t alone in being a second-round pick without a deal signed at this point in the offseason. Only two second-round picks have signed their rookie deals. The Houston Texans signed wide receiver Jayden Higgins, and the Cleveland Browns inked linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
What is the key similarity between them? The Browns and Texans handed them fully guaranteed contracts, the first-ever such contracts for second-round selections.
Anthony Belton is “likely” waiting for a fully guaranteed deal
Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, it is believed that front offices are having contract disputes with agents of players drafted in the second round after Higgins and Schwesinger signed their deals.
“Only two of the 32 second-round picks have signed, likely because of disputes between teams and agents about fully guaranteed contracts…Since then, no second-round picks have signed,” Smith wrote. “That’s likely because other teams don’t want to follow the Browns’ and Texans’ lead and give fully guaranteed contracts to second-round picks.
“And agents are asking those teams, If other second-round picks are getting fully guaranteed contracts, why should my player take anything less?”
Outside of the second round, only 26 rookies taken in the draft have yet to sign deals, including 12 from the first round.
What the Green Bay Packers have done in the past
The value of Belton’s contract is not up for debate. Per the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He’s set to sign a four-year deal worth $8.2 million.
What might Green Bay prefer to give Belton?
The Packers signed 2024 second-round linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to a four-year deal worth $5.5 million. He is receiving $3.5 million guaranteed.
2024 second-round defensive lineman Javon Bullard signed a four-year deal worth $6.7 million, with $3.7 million fully guaranteed.
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