As of this writing, the Seattle Seahawks have signed nine of the eleven players they drafted in April to rookie contracts. That’s a pretty good sign. It tracks with what most of the teams in the NFL have accomplished, but since Seattle was tied for the most draft selections this year, GM John Schneider had more on his plate than most of his colleagues.
Ever since the league and the players' union streamlined the parameters of rookie deals, these types of negotiations have become much more straightforward to navigate. First-round deals, always the most significant potential headaches for a GM, are now slotted into place.
There could still be details to hash out involving guarantees and/or injury contingencies, but total dollars, usually at the center of any stalemate, are now proscribed.
Under the current system, a player would have to have rare leverage or nerves of steel to hold out, so deals almost always get done. Still, it is better to get your players signed promptly so that they can invest fully into the crucial offseason program. Depending on the rookie in question and his position, even a slight delay in signing could have ripple effects well into the summer.
Which Seahawks’ draft picks remain unsigned?
With a few exceptions, every NFL team has agreed to terms with all of its day three picks (rounds four-through-seven). Picks from days one and two are slightly up in the air. That is the case in Seattle.
It might be a good sign that first-round pick Grey Zabel and third-rounder Jalen Milroe are in the signed column. Negotiations with first-rounders may not be as contentious as once, but 12 of the 32 players chosen on day one remain unsigned. That includes Arizona’s first-round pick Walter Nolen.
And quarterbacks are always a little bit tricky. Agents come up with creative arguments for why their quarterback clients need a sweetened deal, which can lead to delays. Milroe was the fourth quarterback chosen in the 2025 draft, but he is only the second of the top five to reach a deal.
The other was top overall pick Cam Ward, who signed quickly with Tennessee. Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, and Dillon Gabriel (chosen after Milroe) remain unsigned.
No position requires more time in camp than quarterback. The position that is next on the list is probably an offensive lineman. Therefore, it is a positive sign that Milroe and Zabel are safely locked up.
The two picks in between them – safety Nick Emmanwori and tight end Elijah Arroyo – are the two players who have yet to agree to terms. In a sense, that is not surprising. The players chosen in the second and third rounds tend to have the longest negotiations.
None of the teams in the NFC West has signed their second-round picks yet. Emmanwori and Arroyo join Arizona’s Will Johnson, Los Angeles’s Terrence Ferguson, and San Fran’s Alfred Collins on that yet-to-sign list. Also like Seattle, all of the division rivals still have two total draft picks without contracts.
So Schneider is pretty much par for the course. As for the players, I doubt that a brief Emmanwori problem will matter. You always want your players signed as quickly as possible, but I suspect Mike MacDonald and Aden Durde already have a very clear plan for the hybrid defensive weapon.
If the Arroyo negotiations drag on, that could be a more serious issue. Tight end is a challenging position for rookies, and getting a lot of reps with your quarterback is crucial. Though highly unlikely, should Arroyo’s lack of a deal cause him to miss time, Sam Darnold will begin forging a relationship with veteran Noah Fant, the player Arroyo was ostensibly drafted to replace.
It is far more likely that both Emmanwori and Arroyo will be locked up soon, with no disruption to their early development. As long as Schneider and the Seahawks track along with the rest of the league, there is no cause for concern. Should they begin to fall behind – if we see a bunch of other day one and two picks signing deals while the Seahawks’ players remain in the cold, we can begin worrying.