Latest news with #CarsonSchwesinger

NBC Sports
17 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Second round is current battleground for fully-guaranteed contracts
The collusion grievance, which found that the NFL/Management Council encouraged teams to violate the CBA, flowed from an effort to limit the spread of fully-guaranteed contracts. And there's an ongoing effort to limit the spread of fully-guaranteed contracts. The vast majority of all 2025 draft picks have signed their four-year rookie deals. In round two, 30 of the selections have yet to sign. The problem is that, for the first time ever, a second-round pick has gotten a fully-guaranteed contract. It started with Texans receiver Jayden Higgins, the second pick in round two. That sparked a fully-guaranteed contract for Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the first pick in the second round. For the next 30 picks, nothing has happened. Obviously, the players and their agents want as many of the deals as possible to be fully guaranteed. The teams want to draw the line as close to the third pick in round two (Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori) as possible. There's no colluding to be done, since the common goal of limited guaranteed deals is obvious. Still, it's the current battleground when it comes to whether the full four years of a contract will be guaranteed. None of the players will take something less than a fully-guaranteed deal below Emmanwori, because they don't want to be responsible for ending the run of fully-guaranteed deals. And every team will want to be the one that successfully held the rope and won the full-guarantee tug-o-war. Eventually, someone will have to blink. It'll probably start later in the round, with players who wouldn't expect to get a full guarantee anyway. And then it could work its way up the ladder. At some point, a player is going to insist on a fully-guaranteed deal and the team is going to insist on not fully guaranteeing the deal and there will be no middle ground. In a roundabout way, the mere existence of this problem proves that collusion, if it's happening, is far from universal. The Texans created the predicament by becoming the first team to give a fully-guaranteed contract to a second-round pick. If all 32 teams were in cahoots on a plan to limit fully-guaranteed contracts, the Texans never would have done that. However it plays out from here, one thing is clear. There won't be any emails or other written communications encouraging the teams to resist giving players fully-guaranteed deals. Documents like that nearly created a major problem for the NFL. It would still be a major problem, if the NFLPA had any inclination to capitalize on the leverage they've secured.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns 2nd-Round Pick Makes Preseason All-Rookie Team
Browns 2nd-Round Pick Makes Preseason All-Rookie Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns had what many believe to be a successful NFL Draft this year, and the team upgraded several positions on defense. Advertisement Their first overall pick at No. 5, Mason Graham, is expected to be a Day 1 contributor in Cleveland and was named to the Preseason All-Rookie team. Now, his new teammate, and Browns second-round pick, Carson Schwesinger, has also been given that same honor. Gennaro Filice named his team earlier this week. "The first pick of the second round is one of the more interesting stories in this draft class. Schwesinger arrived at UCLA as a walk-on and didn't see much action beyond special teams during his first three years with the program," Filice wrote. "This past fall, though, he entered the starting lineup in the third week of the season and never looked back, earning first-team All-America honors after leading the nation with 90 solo tackles. Rangy and instinctive with skills to defend against the run or pass, Schwesinger fits the mold of the modern off-ball linebacker. Advertisement "And playing behind Cleveland's Myles Garrett-led front should keep the rookie pretty clean, allowing him to fly around the field and stuff the stat sheet." The Browns had a need of playmakers on offense, which makes the selection of Schwesinger all the more surprising. But it shows how high the linebacker was on their board. The big question mark surrounding starting linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah might've prompted the Browns to draft Schwesinger, as JOK's season ended prematurely last year after a neck injury and his return timetable is uncertain. Related: Browns No. 1 Pick Named to Preseason All-Rookie Team Related: Ex Browns QB Johnny Manziel Gives Vote of Confidence to Shedeur Sanders This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Cleveland Browns have one of the best defensive trios in the entire NFL.
The Cleveland Browns have one of the best defensive trios in the entire NFL. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns take a lot of pride in their defense, as it has carried the team to a number of winning seasons over the past several seasons. Advertisement In a recent article by Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano, he ranks every NFL team's defensive trio of their best edge rusher, linebacker, and defensive back. For the AFC North team, he has their trio of Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Carson Schwesinger at No. 7. "Cleveland took a devastating hit recently when it was announced linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah wouldn't be available this season due to a neck injury. But the Browns wisely drafted Schwesinger in the second round to help make up for the loss," Manzano wrote. "Garrett, who has at least 12 sacks in five consecutive seasons, cashed in this offseason with a four-year, $160 million extension." Garrett is one of the best players on either side of the ball in the entire league, so having him on your team is going to be a big help in defensive rankings like this. Ward led the league in passes defended this past season after a mediocre year for him in 2023. As for Schwesinger, he comes to the Browns after a season at UCLA where he led the Big Ten Conference in solo tackles with 90. Advertisement The Browns are coming off of a season where they went 3-14, so the team's defense will be looking to help lead the team to a redemption season. Related: Steelers Rival Waiting To Put Rodgers in 'Graveyard' Related: Browns 'Formula' is Defense in 2025 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.


Time of India
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NFL rookie contract shakeup: 30 second-round picks still unsigned as guaranteed deals disrupt the system
Photo by Christopher Mast/Getty Image With just a month left until training camps kick off, one surprising trend has emerged: nearly the entire second round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains unsigned. While rookie deals are usually a formality in today's league, this year's second-round class has thrown a wrench into that timeline. Why? Two early signings—Houston's Jayden Higgins and Cleveland's Carson Schwesinger—have quietly set a new bar, demanding fully guaranteed contracts that were once reserved for first-rounders. Now, teams like the Seattle Seahawks are in a holding pattern as the ripple effects of those deals play out. Guaranteed rookie deals spark second-round freeze, signaling a major shift in NFL contract norms As of mid-June, 40 drafted players remained unsigned—and 30 of them were taken in the second round. It's a staggering number, especially when you consider the precedent. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, only two second-rounders have officially inked their rookie contracts: linebacker Carson Schwesinger (No. 33, Browns) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (No. 34, Texans). What do both players have in common? Fully guaranteed rookie deals—an anomaly for players outside the first round. 'When Higgins signed his contract with the Texans, it raised eyebrows,' Florio explained during an appearance on PFT Live this week. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo 'Not just because it was historic, but because it forced every other team to reassess how they structure second-round deals.' Schwesinger's contract soon followed the same pattern, suggesting this could be more than a one-off. Among the teams affected by this contract standoff are the Seahawks, who moved up to grab safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th pick and also added tight end Elijah Arroyo later in the second round. They've signed nine of their 11 rookies—but these two remain unsigned. Seattle fans may recall that this wouldn't be their first experience with a groundbreaking second-round deal. In 2023, outside linebacker Derick Hall had most of his signing bonus paid before training camp and secured $100,000 guaranteed in his fourth season. However, that hasn't been the standard. Zach Charbonnet, Boye Mafe, and Kenneth Walker—other recent Seahawks second-rounders—don't have any guaranteed salary entering the final years of their deals. This standoff might just be the beginning of the NFL's next contract revolution This isn't about players trying to stir drama. It's a negotiation ripple that began with a bold new precedent—and could signal a permanent change to how second-round deals are structured. Emmanwori and Arroyo will likely sign eventually, but whether they follow the Higgins-Schwesinger route remains to be seen. As Florio put it, 'This might be the new normal. And the NFLPA has every reason to smile about it.' Until pen meets paper in Seattle and beyond, the rookie contract clock keeps ticking—and the rest of the league is watching. Also Read: The Cleveland Browns won't start Shedeur Sanders — But he might be the future they can't overlook

NBC Sports
27-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
30 second-round picks are unsigned after top two got fully guaranteed contracts
More than three-fourths of the players picked in the 2025 NFL draft have signed their rookie contracts. But only two of the 32 second-round picks have signed, likely because of disputes between teams and agents about fully guaranteed contracts. On May 8, the Texans gave Jayden Higgins, the second pick of the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, the first fully guaranteed contract ever for a second-round pick. On May 9, the Browns reportedly gave the first pick of the second round, Carson Schwesinger, a fully guaranteed contract as well. Since then, no second-round picks have signed. That's likely because other teams don't want to follow the Browns' and Texans' lead and give fully guaranteed contracts to second-round picks. And agents are asking those teams, If other second-round picks are getting fully guaranteed contracts, why should my player take anything less? The 30 unsigned second-round picks represent most of the rookies who haven't yet signed. In the other six rounds combined, only 26 draft picks have not yet signed their rookie contracts: Via there are 12 unsigned first-round picks, four unsigned third-round picks, nine unsigned fourth-round picks and one unsigned sixth-round pick. Every other draft pick has signed his rookie contract. The total value of the contracts for those 30 second-round picks is not in dispute: That's set in advance by the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, and there's nothing for teams or agents to negotiate over. But fully guaranteeing those contracts is negotiable. And after the top two picks in the second round successfully negotiated for full guarantees, the 30 other picks want in on those guarantees, too.