In 2011, the NFL and NFL Players Association reached a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. A huge piece of the new agreement was a rookie wage scale, limiting how much players on their first NFL contracts would be paid.

Twenty-nine of the 32 players picked in the first round 2025 NFL draft have signed their rookie contracts. The three exceptions are Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (pick No. 2), Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (pick No. 17) and Denver Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron (pick No. 20).

The absolute worst-case scenario (which won't happen) between the Bengals and Shemar Stewart involves the 2026 draft.