The Seattle Seahawks have not yet signed 2025 second-round draft pick Nick Emmanwori to a contract. There is zero reason to panic. It will happen. His signing might even happen before you finish reading this article.
Eight of Seattle's 11 draft picks have signed their rookie deals. That includes first-round choice Grey Zabel, who inked a four-year contract (with a fifth-year team option) for $18,471,460, all of which was guaranteed. This is important because it is becoming the new normal for first-round choices.
It might also be becoming the norm for second-round selections, as far as players chosen high in the second round are concerned. The Seahawks' second pick in 2025 was Emmanwori, and the players chosen just before him, Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns and Jayden Higgins of the Houston Texans, also have had their contracts fully guaranteed.
There is little reason to be nervous about Seahawks rookies signing their contracts
Guaranteeing rookie deals does not cost teams much. For instance, Zabel's $18 million deal over four years is small compared to the salaries of many veteran left guards. Three guards make more in an average year than Zabel will be paid throughout his first four seasons.
Zabel is also going to be Seattle's highest-paid rookie. Emmanwori will be next. Tight end Elijah Arroyo will be third. How do we know this? Because there is no real drama to rookies signing their contracts.
The collective bargaining agreement between players and teams includes a slotted amount based on where a player is chosen in the draft. In other words, the 13th pick in any given draft would theoretically know how much they will be paid if they knew they were going at 13. The only thing to work out is the guaranteed money.
This is most likely the temporary holdup on Emmanwori's deal. If the two guys taken before him are getting guaranteed money, he should also want a fully guaranteed contract. The Seahawks might as well give him that because little relative money is being quibbled about.
The new normal of guaranteed money might also slightly affect the negotiations of the Seahawks' other early-round choices. The three players who did not sign along with the first announcements of rookie deals included Emmanwori, Arroyo, and third-round choice Jalen Milroe. Their agents might be waiting to see how far the guaranteed contracts fall.
There is nothing to worry about regarding rookies not signing their deals. The slotted money per selection ends any reason for worry. All Seattle's rookies will sign, and likely very soon.