Per Jordan Schultz, the Detroit Lions signed rookie lineman Ratledge on Thursday. With his contract now officially in place, he is eligible to join the Lions’ training camp, where rookies began reporting as early as Wednesday. This move aligns with the team’s timeline, as they prepare for the full start of camp later this week.
Texans’ Bold Move on Rookie Deal Disrupts Second-Round Signings Across the NFL
There was a notable delay across the NFL in signing second-round draft picks due to an unexpected move by the Houston Texans. They offered Jayden Higgins, a second-round wide receiver, a fully guaranteed contract, breaking with long-standing precedent. Historically, while high second-round picks receive most of their deals guaranteed, full guarantees were rare.
Tate Ratledge (NFL)Following the Texans’ decision, the Browns also signed their 33rd overall pick, Carson Schwesinger, to a fully guaranteed deal. These two contracts set a new benchmark, stalling negotiations across the league as other teams evaluated the implications. It wasn’t until the 49ers signed Alfred Collins, the 43rd pick, to a non-fully guaranteed deal that the signing logjam began to break.
Ratledge Signs in Time to Compete for Starting Center Role at Camp
Ratledge’s contract was finalized Thursday, just one day after the Collins deal, signaling momentum among teams to finalize remaining rookie deals. With Frank Ragnow’s unexpected retirement, Ratledge is expected to compete for the starting center position. Given his limited experience at center, the timing of this signing is crucial, ensuring he gets every valuable rep from the beginning of training camp.
With rookies in camp and Ratledge officially on board, the Lions are nearly ready for full operations. The final step is for the veteran players to report on Saturday. With everyone in place, Detroit will officially kick off training camp on Sunday as it begins preparing for the 2025 NFL season.
