LA Chargers rookie Tre Harris is holding out of training camp after not reporting on the first day. Could the Indianapolis Colts face a similar situation?
Harris, a second-round pick at 55th overall, is holding out because he and the Chargers have not yet agreed on a rookie contract. In fact, 30 of the 32 second-round picks, including the Colts‘ JT Tuimoloau, remain unsigned at this point.
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The only second-round picks who are signed are Cleveland’s Carson Schwesinger and Houston’s Jayden Higgins–the first and second selections in this round–both of whom received fully guaranteed deals.
With rookie deals, there often isn’t much room for negotiating with the rookie wage scale putting parameters on what a player can earn based on where they were selected.
However, particularly for early round picks, how much of the contract is guaranteed is where some negotiating can take place, and with Schwesinger and Higgins setting a precedent with fully guaranteed deals, the other second-round picks want the same.
Oftentimes, like dominoes, the early selections in a round have to complete their deals first, with those contracts laying the groundwork for what everyone else’s will look like.
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Tuimoloau was the 45th overall pick, taken in the middle of the second round. Seattle’s Nick Emmanwori (35th), Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins (36th), and Miami’s Jonah Savaiinaea (37th) were the next three picks after Schwesinger and Higgins.
The Colts’ rookies report for training camp on July 21st. The first practice will take place on July 23rd.
As of now, it remains to be seen whether Tuimoloau will be there on Day 1 or not. That could hinge on whether the picks in front of him get their deals done or if Tuimoloau accepts a non-fully guaranteed deal.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Could Colts have training camp holdout like Chargers?