The Detroit Lions are heading into the 2025 season with more optimism than ever. The team is in a great spot, the roster is loaded, and the stars are getting healthy. Not only is the core back for more, but the 2025 draft class figures to be another Brad Holmes heist, expected to contribute to the team\u2019s success early and often.<\/p>\n
While that\u2019s the plan and it\u2019s in motion, what wasn\u2019t part of the plan was this out-of-nowhere second-round rookie fully guaranteed contract standoff that shook the NFL more than anyone could have imagined. The Houston Texans started it all by giving 34th overall pick Jayden Higgins a fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million deal that was later used as a baseline for Carson Schwesinger\u2019s fully guaranteed contract with the Browns as the 33rd overall pick.<\/p>\n
Since then, it\u2019s been a stalemate. No other second-round pick has signed a contract with their respective team, including Detroit\u2019s Tate Ratledge<\/a>, taken with the 57th overall pick.<\/p>\n Tate Ratledge frustratingly still hasn’t signed his rookie deal<\/p>\n With Ratledge\u2019s financial holdout, the Lions have signed six of their seven draft picks:<\/p>\n 1st round: Tyleik Williams (4-year, $16.4 million guaranteed deal) 5th round: Miles Frazier (4-year, $4.52 million deal) Ratledge, of course, has the r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to warrant a firm stance. After overcoming early injuries at Georgia, he started 36 games over his final three seasons, earned multiple All-American and All-SEC honors, and captained one of college football\u2019s most dominant offensive lines. He brings physicality, leadership, and proven pass protection to a Lions front that values all three.<\/p>\n
(Saving this spot for Tate Ratledge…)
3rd round: Isaac TeSlaa (4-year, $6.6 million deal)<\/p>\n
6th round: Ahmed Hassanein (4-year, $4.42 million deal)
7th round: Dan Jackson (4-year, $4.3 million deal)
7th round: Dominic Lovett (4-year, $4 million deal)<\/p>\n