The $7.38 Million Denver Deal That Shows How Tough Rookie Contracts Really Are

Alright, 12s, listen up! While our Seahawks are getting ready for what's gonna be an electric season at Lumen Field, there's some serious movement happening across the league, and it tells us a lot about how these NFL teams are flexing their muscles. Remember all that talk about a logjam with third-round picks not getting signed? Well, that gridlock is finally breaking, and what it reveals about rookie deals is wild. Denver just inked their defensive tackle, Tyler Onyedim, and it's got some numbers that really pop, especially the ones that aren't there.

Broncos Flex on Rookie DT: No Guaranteed Base? Ouch.

So, the big news dropped Sunday night: the Denver Broncos officially signed Tyler Onyedim, their second player picked in the third round. This dude is getting a four-year contract worth $7.38 million, which sounds sweet, right? Plus, he's walking away with a $1.8 million signing bonus. That's life-changing money for sure. But here's the kicker, and this is what really caught my eye, per Luca Evans from the Denver Post: Onyedim reportedly got *no guaranteed base salary* on that deal. Let that sink in. These teams are playing hardball. It means they're putting all their chips on that signing bonus, and if a player doesn't perform, there's less financial cushion down the line. That's a huge statement from teams about how they view their draft picks.

The League-Wide Standoff That Just Cracked Open

This Onyedim signing didn't happen in a vacuum. It went do

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wn just hours after the Raiders locked up their third-round pick, Keyron Crawford. These two deals are finally busting open the bottleneck that's been holding up high third-round selections across the league. What was the holdup? Agents were fighting tooth and nail for guaranteed base salaries for their guys. They wanted that extra layer of security. But teams have been absolutely unmoving, saying "Nope, the signing bonus is all you're getting guaranteed for a third-rounder." It's a power play, plain and simple, and it looks like the teams are winning. While Denver and Vegas got their guys done, we still have some major names out there, like the top third-round pick, Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck, who's still unsigned. Then there's Eagles offensive tackle Markel Bell, Bears tight end Sam Roush, and even 49ers edge rusher Romello Height, all still waiting to put pen to paper. What does this mean for our beloved Seahawks as we gear up for the season? It means the competition in the AFC West, a division we'll battle against in the conference playoff race, is starting to solidify their rosters, but on their own terms. And it shows the kind of tough negotiations that are going on everywhere, even with NFC West rivals like the Cardinals and 49ers still having unsigned talent. Every one of these deals shapes the landscape, and our Hawks, with Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Cooper Kupp ready to light it up, are watching. We're looking forward to seeing how Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury continue to build this team. Let's get ready for some football, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.