Rams part of NFL-wide trend of draft pick signing lag

For the first time since the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement in 2011, there has been a lull in rookie contracts being signed.

Prior to 2011, most rookies didn’t sign their contracts until the week of training camp and holdouts were common. But that year, a rookie pool was initiated and most rookies signed their deals shortly after the draft. That isn’t happening this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Many teams want to give their draft picks physicals when they sign them and that has been virtually impossible this offseason. On Monday morning, Sports Illustrated reported that only 60 of the total 255 draft picks were signed. Later in the day, Buffalo signed running back Zack Moss and the Colts signed receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

So, there are currently 193 draft picks unsigned in the NFL as we sit six weeks before the start of training camp. The Rams are part of the signing lull as all nine of their draft picks (including Cam Akers, pictured above) are unsigned.

However, there’s not much to worry about. I’d expect the pace of the signings to pick up soon and the Rams, like all teams, will get their draft classes secured and inked by the start of training camp. Rams coach Sean McVay said last week that he expects to get the rookies in to start training camp on July 23 and then bring veterans in July 28.