All 2026 NFL Draft first-round picks sign contracts
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- Ty Simpson signed his rookie contract with the Rams on July 25, the day the team reported to camp, becoming the final first-round pick to sign.
- Fernando Mendoza signed his rookie deal a few days before Simpson, securing his position as the No. 1 overall pick despite both being quarterbacks.
- The 2026 NFL Draft produced 257 total selections, all of whom must sign contracts before training camp to avoid participation issues.
- The NFL rookie wage scale, established in the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, sets non-negotiable salary slots, making most signings a formality.
- Shemar Stewart from the previous year's draft is cited as a recent example where contract negotiations became complicated despite the standardized system.
- Spotrac is the source for all salary figures listed in the contract tracker, providing transparency into the financial terms of each deal.
Why it matters: The near-universal adherence to the rookie wage scale keeps costs predictable for teams and limits holdouts, but the late signing of Ty Simpson shows that even routine deals can hinge on timing, risking camp disruptions when delayed to the deadline.
