The NFL's training camp report dates are creeping up on the calendar. The Los Angeles Chargers are officially welcoming the rookies into the fray today. It's the latest step on the calendar towards the return of football, which should have just about everyone excited.
But not everything is sunshine and rainbows despite the NFL taking its next step towards a return to play — there's still plenty of business to attend to in the days and weeks ahead before everyone is back and ready for pads. This is true even with the rookies...despite a fixed wage scale.
There's been almost no movement in the way of second-round draft choices signing their rookie contracts thanks to some fine print spurred on by the Houston Texans and rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins. Higgins, drafted 34th overall in this year's draft, got a fully guaranteed contract as Houston's first draft choice this spring. It's the first time that's ever happened.
Every other second-round pick is holding out hoping for the same, which puts the Seattle Seahawks and their early second-round draft choice squarely in the spotlight, as they picked immediately after Houston in April's second round. Safety Nick Emmanwori sits in a key position for agents and players everywhere.
Safety Nick Emmanwori is who everyone is watching
Emmanwori is currently one of the most important people in football. It isn't often that the 35th overall draft choice can say that come mid-July before every playing a down, but that's exactly where things stand. Players picked with the 33rd and 34th overall draft choices successfully secured a fully-guaranteed deal. Emmanwori is next in line and almost assuredly who everyone is waiting on to make the next decision. If a team that has an earlier report date caves and concedes full guarantees to someone picked later in the round, the decision will be made for Seattle.
But as of right now, the whole football world is log-jammed behind Seattle's negotiation with Emmanwori and his representation, Athletes First.
Athletes First, headlined by agent David Mulugheta, has had great success in recent years in taking the hardline stance for their players and collecting results. Mulugheta is once again fighting a hardline battle by seeking the next second-round contract with full guarantees. It will be fascinating to see if anyone behind Emmanwori's pick slot caves to sign a deal without the fully guaranteed money, too.
That will put Emmanwori, Mulugheta and the Seahawks in a dangerous game of chicken — although it would certainly clear up the logjam for any rookies behind that player. If a player picked 45th overall, hypothetically, signs without fully guarantees, it'd be a long shot to consider anyone picked after him to get them either.
In the meantime, all eyes are on Seattle to see if they ultimately cave to the ask of what was previously an unprecedented move to fully guarantee a non-first round contract. Emmanwori's side is fighting not just for himself and his own initial security but also for those who came after him — both in this year's draft and in drafts to come.
That makes you a pretty key figure in the grand scheme of things.
