San Francisco 49ers could face major problem that most NFL teams are still dealing with heading into training camp

The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in a precarious situation that most other NFL teams are also experiencing.

Only two of the 32 second-round picks from the 2025 NFL Draft have signed their rookie contracts — Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins. 

Both have signed fully guaranteed deals, which is not the norm for second-rounders. Agents who represent the other second-round picks around the league are working towards also getting them fully guaranteed deals, but teams aren't budging. 

That means 49ers rookie defensive lineman Alfred Collins remains unsigned as rookies are set to report to training camp on Tuesday. San Francisco selected Collins with the 43rd overall pick, and he is expected to be a big part of its defensive line rotation immediately. 

Time will tell if agents or teams will cave in first on this issue with second-round picks, but we may be in the for the long haul until it is resolved. Collins is in danger of missing invaluable reps, both on the field and in meetings. It could result in costing him playing time in the early part of the regular season.

Collins played in a whopping 64 games during his collegiate tenure at Texas, and is physically imposing at 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds. His 34 5/8-inch arm length helped him record an impressive seven pass breakups in 2024. Collins should immediately play well against the run, but may need some time to develop into a consistent pass rusher.

If he shows progression as a rookie, he could step into a starting role sooner rather than later. Collins will have to compete with Kevin Givens and Jordan Elliott for snaps, but neither of them were very good against the run last season. Collins can fill that void and be a perfect complement to pass rushers such as Nick Bosa and first-round pick Mykel Williams.