Both Doubs and Tom are fourth-round selections, a round that has had few picks sign league-wide.
On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers announced that they have signed fourth-rounders Romeo Doubs (receiver from Nevada) and Zach Tom (offensive lineman from Wake Forest) to rookie contracts. Officially, 10 of the Packers’ 11 draft choices have now signed deals with the team.
The only remaining rookie yet to sign a contract with Green Bay is second-round wide receiver Christian Watson, who was picked with the second pick in the second round. That particular situation is tricky, as there is a fairly steep financial dropoff between the end of the first round and the beginning of the second round.
According to Spotrac, the rounds in which the most players remain unsigned are the second and fourth rounds. Based on Spotrac’s tracking, Doubs and Tom are just the fourth and fifth players in the fourth round to sign with their teams, likely due to disputes around salary and guarantees for players slated with those selections.
Watson’s situation will likely clear up as more second-round picks sign deals down the line, setting the market for guarantees, offset clauses and verbiage in similar contracts. Of players selected 33rd overall to 51st overall, per Spotrac, only two of them (Houston’s Jalen Pitre and John Metchie) have signed deals with their teams. With the final pick of the first round signed (Minnesota’s Lewis Cine), Watson — the 34th pick — could very well wait until Tampa Bay’s Logan Hall — the 33rd pick — signs on the dotted line before he gives up his leverage.
For whatever it’s worth, Watson’s lack of a contract has not stopped him from participating in rookie minicamp and organized team activities, which are optional. On Tuesday, for Green Bay’s open practice, Watson was seen working with the first-team offense as Allen Lazard, who has yet to sign his second-round tender, and Sammy Watkins did not report.