No Worries As Eagles Open OTAs With Top Two Draft Picks Unsigned

The Eagles opened OTAs with just two of their 10 draft picks still unsigned. No biggie. Not in this day and age, with a rookie wage scale implemented in 2011 and the CBA’s impact on contract negotiations that has created a more standardized system where rookie contracts are based on a fixed formula.

That hasn’t completely eliminated a rookie holding out, but it’s so infrequent that the last one was in 2022 when David Ojabo, a second-round pick of the Ravens, held out until August due to a disagreement about his third-year guarantee percentage.

That won’t happen in Howie Roseman’s world. He’ll get deals done with the picks who have yet to sign on the dotted line - first-rounder Jihaad Campbell and second-round pick Drew Mukuba. Sixth-round pick Cameron Williams signed his deal after the first day of OTAs on Tuesday.

It’s not only easier to do these deals, but it’s a smart business strategy since training camp practices are shorter and less physical, so getting rookies and veterans into the fray without disruption is of great importance.

The most recent first-round draft pick who held out of training camp was DeSean Jackson in the summer of 2011, three years after he was drafted. Jackson missed the first 11 days of camp. Offensive lineman Evan Mathis held out in 2015, but Roseman was in his Chip Kelly-induced timeout at that time. Mathis was eventually cut.

In 2016, quarterback Sam Bradford skipped spring practices, but that was because he wasn’t happy that the Eagles had drafted Carson Wentz second overall. Bradford was eventually traded to the Vikings. Tight end Zach Ertz thought about holding out in 2021, but he showed up. It would have been interesting to see what tight end Dallas Goedert would have done had he not been given a one-year deal to return.

Other than that, though, Roseman gets deals done. Here are some of the rookie picks from recent years and when they signed their first contract:

2024

First round: Quinyon Mitchell, June 6, after minicamp ended.

Second round: Cooper DeJean, May 20.

2023

First round: Jalen Carter signed on May 4, just a week after the Eagles drafted him ninth overall. Nolan Smith, picked at No. 30, signed May 22.

2022

First round: Jordan Davis, May 5, before rookie minicamp.

Cam Jurgens, July 1.

2021

First round: DeVonta Smith, June 3, before minicamp.

Second round: Landon Dickerson, July 26, just before training camp opened.

2020

Second round: Jalen Hurts, April 24, which was right after the Eagles selected him.

2018

Second round: Dallas Goedert, May 9