The contract stalemate between the Las Vegas Raiders and second-round pick Jack Bech is part of a larger, league-wide trend affecting rookie negotiations. As training camps commence this week, 30 of the 32 players selected in the second round of the April NFL Draft remain unsigned, in addition to two first-round picks.
The widespread delay stems from disputes over guaranteed money in rookie contracts. A new precedent was set when the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns included full guarantees for their second-round selections, Jayden Higgins and Carson Schwesinger. Consequently, other draftees are now seeking similar terms, leading to an impasse with teams across the league.
With Raiders rookies reporting to training camp on Thursday and the first full-squad practice scheduled for July 23, the timing is critical. Bech, the No. 58 overall pick from TCU, is the only one of the Raiders’ 11 draftees yet to sign. Any missed practice time could hinder his opportunity to compete for a starting wide receiver role opposite Jakobi Meyers.
Because the issue is affecting nearly every team, there is a collective interest in finding a resolution. All of the Raiders’ ten other draft picks have signed their contracts.
Las Vegas Raiders 2024 Draft Class:
- Round 1, Pick 6: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- Round 2, Pick 58: Jack Bech, WR, TCU
- Round 3, Pick 68: Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
- Round 3, Pick 98: Caleb Rogers, G, Texas Tech
- Round 3, Pick 99: Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary
- Round 4, Pick 108: Dont’e Thornton Jr., WR, Tennessee
- Round 4, Pick 135: Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina
- Round 6, Pick 180: JJ Pegues, DT, Ole Miss
- Round 6, Pick 213: Tommy Mellott, QB/WR, Montana St
- Round 6, Pick 215: Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State
- Round 7, Pick 222: Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota
