Here's what happens if the Lions get to training camp and Tate Ratledge has still not signed his rookie deal

We're getting closer and closer to the Detroit Lions starting up training camp. Since they're starting early this year, it'll be here before you know. The Lions have already managed ot sign all their 2025 draft picks with the exception of one player, and that's guard Tate Ratledge. 

The second-round pick is still hanging in the wind right now, but he's far from being alone there. As we touched on recently, only two of the 32 players drafted in the second round have been signed to their rookie deals. 

The reason those 30 guys haven't been signed has a lot to do with the two guys who actually did get signed. Both Jayden Higgins and Carson Schwesinger have started a new thing where second-round players are getting fully guaranteed contracts. Clearly, not every team is comfortable with that at this juncture, and everyone is waiting to see what happens with the next guy off the board to act accordingly.

So what happens if the Lions get to training camp and Ratledge is still not signed to his rookie deal? Does he sit out or hold out until it happens? That is an option. 

The other one, and one we've seen plenty of times before, including this season, is that he can sign what's called a rookie participation agreement. 

The agreement states that an unsigned rookie can practice and do everything with the team, and if he happens to get injured, the agreement promises him that he will still get paid what he likely would have been paid anyway. 

Rookie holdouts are pretty rare right now, with Shemar Stewart and the Bengals being the only kids on the block holding out on each other. We can't guarantee that Ratledge will sign his agreement, but we can tell you that he already did for OTAs, so there's a strong chance he does for camp. 

So if he's not under contract when camp starts, don't fret about him not being able to gel with the team and earn his spot. He'll be able to do everything.