On Friday, just before the start of rookie minicamp, the New Orleans Saints signed six of their nine picks in the 2025 NFL draft to their first contracts. In addition to their top pick Kelvin Banks Jr., the Saints announced standard four-year deals with linebacker Danny Stutsman, cornerback Quincy Riley, running back Devin Neal, tight end Moliki Matavao and edge rusher Fadil Diggs.
That leaves just three of their draft picks yet to sign: quarterback Tyler Shough, defensive tackle Vernon Broughton, and safety Jonas Sanker. They were all selected in Rounds 2 and 3 which has become a bit of a battleground where teams and agents haggle over guaranteed money. It isn’t unusual for second rounders to take longer to sign than others, but the Saints did buck that trend last summer:
2021: Pete Werner signed on June 82022: Alontate Taylor signed on July 192023: Isaiah Foskey signed on July 192024: Kool-Aid McKinstry signed on May 31
Stay tuned for updates on Shough, Broughton, and Sanker. It’s good to get these deals out of the way and avoid distractions. New collective bargaining agreements have implemented a lower, more standardized rookie wage scale than we used to see in the NFL; Banks will receive $27.73 million on his fully-guaranteed four-year deal, including a $16.8 million signing bonus. With contracts tied more closely to draft slots now, there’s less for teams to negotiate than in the past.