The NFL is a business, and Detroit Lions rookie Tate Ratledge is finding that out sooner than most.
Ratledge, a former Georgia offensive guard who was a second-round pick by Detroit in April, is one of 30 second-round picks who have yet to sign their rookie contract and could hold out to begin training camp, which is set to begin around the league later this month.
Ratledge, who took snaps at center during the spring, is a potential candidate to fill the position left vacant by the retirement of Frank Ragnow. Regardless of where Ratledge’s optimal position is for the upcoming season, it’s assumed that he’s one of the front-runners for a starting gig on the Lions’ interior offensive line. Participating in padded practices is a crucial step in preparing to take the field in Week 1.
But he might not have the opportunity to do so — at least not right away — and it’s something worth monitoring with rookies set to report on Wednesday, when we’ll learn whether Ratledge is an official holdout from Lions camp.
So, how did we get here? For the answer, we go down to Houston.
What’s the holdup?
Since implementing a rookie wage scale — every draft slot has a predetermined salary assigned to it — in 2011, the league has seen a significant downturn in rookie holdouts.
However, the Houston Texans’ decision to give a fully-guaranteed contract to wide receiver Jayden Higgins, the second pick of the second round (34th overall), has brought recent norms to a screeching halt. Prior to Higgins’ deal, there was no precedent for a second-rounder receiving a fully-guaranteed contract; that benefit had been solely reserved for first-round picks.
Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, for example, only received $3.2 million in guaranteed money on his four-year, $6.5 million contract after being selected in the second round (61st overall) in 2024. Just two years ago, Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (drafted 34th overall, same as Higgins) received $7.8 million in guaranteed money on a rookie contract worth $9.4 million.
But Higgins was the first second-rounder to ink his rookie deal this year, and because contracts across all sports are heavily rooted in precedent, the Cleveland Browns quickly followed suit and gave the first pick of the second round (33rd overall), linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a fully-guaranteed deal as well.
Now the rest of the second-round picks from this year’s draft are trying to use that same precedent to get fully-guaranteed contracts of their own, while teams are refusing to give in for fear of permanently altering the status quo. For players and agents, it’s a rare opportunity to play with a stacked deck in negotiations. Both sides have been dug in for months.
When will it end?
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Tre Harris, the 55th pick, became the first rookie to officially hold out when he failed to report earlier this week.
There are several possible outcomes to this saga.
The Lions certainly could, in theory, be the ones to bite the bullet and sign Ratledge, the No. 57 overall pick, to a fully-guaranteed deal. Because of the gap between the 34th and 57th pick, though, this feels highly unlikely; doing so would almost guarantee that every second-round pick receives fully-guaranteed deals, a decision that affects every other team in the league (including the Lions) for the foreseeable future.
Or, the Lions could convince Ratledge and his agent that the team needs him on the field — if he’s going to win the starting center job, he’ll need all the reps he can get — and get him to sign a traditional deal. This also seems unlikely, as Ratledge giving in would eliminate the leverage for every other second-round pick.
In reality, this stalemate likely will be broken by another team, no matter how badly Ratledge and the Lions would like to bring things to a quick end. The Lions play their first preseason game just 15 days after rookies are set to arrive in Allen Park.
Some national reports have noted that the New Orleans Saints might be the first to blink. They’re in a similar situation to Detroit — in that they need their second-round pick on the field as soon as possible — but much more drastically.
The Saints drafted Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the 40th pick, and following the sudden retirement of veteran quarterback Derek Carr, are relying on the rookie to take the reins in Week 1. Would the team risk tanking their season to squabble over what amounts to less than $500,000 annually over the length of his four-year contract?
Shough getting a fully-guaranteed deal could be enough for the dam to burst, ushering a new era of second-round pick contract structure. But if the Saints hold the line, there’s no telling when this saga will come to an end.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
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