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Jun 10, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) on passing drills during minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Orleans Saints' Tyler Shough Signs Unprecedented Rookie Contract

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI | By Zach Dimmitt | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 1:54 PM ET

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As training camp gets set to begin in the NFL, New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had remained unsigned to his rookie deal even as many other second-round picks around the league continued to agree to terms with their respective teams.

However, the wait was well worth it for the former Oregon Ducks quarterback, who secured his rookie deal with New Orleans and received some unique roster bonuses in the process.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Saints signed Shough to a fully-guaranteed $10.795 million deal that includes an annual Roster Bonus structure, something that none of the other non-first round picks have received since the end of the 2025 NFL Draft. This means that Shough will receive the majority of his annual compensation during training camp each year.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why Tyler Shough Was "X-Factor" Among Second-Round Picks

The patience paid off for Shough, who reportedly had some leverage in his negotiation talks with the Saints front office due to playing quarterback and New Orleans' desperation at the position.

According to NFL reporter Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Shough was seen as the "X-factor" among second-round picks waiting to sign, particularly those that were picked ahead of him at No. 40 overall.

"Second-round picks are slowly starting to sign, but the big X-factor is believed to be No. 40 overall with QB Tyler Shough," Meirov wrote on X. "Shough has a real shot to be a starter, and the Saints likely don’t want their potential QB1 missing time. He’s pushing for a fully guaranteed deal — and if he gets it, it could be a game-changer for the unsigned picks ahead of him (Nos. 35-39), who are believed to be waiting to see how this plays out."

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Tyler Shough at Manning Passing Academy

At the Manning Passing Academy last month, Shough said he was "super optimistic" about a deal getting done.

“The whole second round, [we’re] just seeing kind of where things lie,” Shough told Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune. "There’s not like a demand or — obviously, you’re super optimistic. That's just part of it, this whole process, so yeah, we’ll see. . . . I want to fight for as much as we can get, but at the same time, there’s a lot of things that have yet to unfold with other guys ahead [of me]. For me, the biggest thing was getting here, learning the playbook and doing everything I can.”

Shough's time with the Ducks came during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. In Eugene, he went 118 of 182 passing for 1,703 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

During the pandemic season in 2020, Shough led Oregon to the Pac-12 Championship, taking down the USC Trojans in a 31-24 win. He finished that season completing 106 of 167 passes for 1,559 yards, 13 touchdowns and six picks.

Shough then made his way to the Texas panhandle to Lubbock, joining the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He played three seasons with Texas Tech, even getting a chance to face his former Oregon team in a 38-30 loss to the Ducks during the 2023 season.

The Saints will begin the preseason on Aug. 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.