The Arizona Cardinals‘ lone insigned draft pick for this year is cornerback Will Johnson, their second-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft. They even have first-round defensive lineman Walter Nolen signed.
But that is normal. Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer noted this week that only two of the 32 second-round picks were signed. All but one first-round pick have been signed by their teams.
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Why is that?
Well, first-round picks have fully guaranteed contracts. Second-round picks get guaranteed salaries, but that is negotiable.
Some get three guaranteed years. Some get two guaranteed years. Some get two fully guaranteed and a partially guaranteed.
Johnson was the 47th pick in the draft, so if we look at last year’s No. 47 pick, New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin, we can expect Johnson to get two fully guaranteed years and a partial guarantee on a third.
Nubin’s first two years had fully guaranteed salaries.
In his third year, he is scheduled to get $1.49 million in salary. Of that, $1.21 million is guaranteed.
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Then, of course, are the contract details as to when the signing bonus is paid, what language is included fro behavioral stipulations and such and more.
But we can expect something similar for Johnson. When will it happen? The Cardinal probably won’t set the standard, as it was a pick in the middle of the second round. One picks ahead of Johnson start lining up and getting signed or if it happens from the bottom of the round up, that is where we will see Johnson getting his contract signed.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Why Will Johnson hasn’t signed rookie contract yet with the Cardinals