Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
The NFL’s second-round pick contract conundrum is going to be in full focus over the next week as training camp report dates arrive.
For the New Orleans Saints, all eyes will be on quarterback Tyler Shough as the NFL haggles over second-round contract guarantees.
It’s no fault of the players, or anyone for that matter, but instead a simple matter of precedent and new frontiers for the league. Despite that, though, this situation could lead to players not attending training camps until a deal is agreed upon. That was the case with the Los Angeles Chargers last week as players reported for camp. The lone exception was former Ole Miss wide receiver and second-round selection Tre Harris.
While the language “Tre Harris holding out” is appropriate for the situation, it does misrepresent a bit what’s really going on here. It’s not that players are individually holding out. It has more to do with not getting ahead of earlier picks in the round and potentially impacting the negotiation of the others ahead. Only two second rounders have been signed at this point, the top two selections of the round.
This may not be a matter of any individual player’s desires or demands, but that didn’t stop Shough from being transparent about the situation and process.
Tyler Shough on his unsolved contract late last month: “The whole second round, (we’re) just seeing kind of where things lie. There’s not like a demand or — obviously, you’re super optimistic. That’s just part of it, this whole process, so yeah, we’ll see.”
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) July 12, 2025
NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras caught up with Shough to discuss his side of this situation. The biggest takeaway was that he’s optimistic everything will work out. However, that’s already the sure part. These contracts will all get worked out, and each will eventually hit the field. The biggest remaining question is simply that of timeline.
Shough is motivated to get back out on the field quickly, of that there’s no doubt. He’s entrenched in a battle for the top spot at quarterback. Sacrificing time there could, depending on how long things drag out, cost him a chance to compete. Something he’s sure to have a sense of urgency around.
Shough was the No. 40 overall selection. If things end up unfolding for each selection in order throughout the early goings of the round, it shouldn’t take long for things to resolve once progress has been made beginning with the first unsigned selection, No. 35 overall pick Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori. That’s a good sign for Shough, the Saints and the fanbase.
