The first of this year’s tackles chosen now has a contract. The Patriots and Will Campbell agreed to terms on his four-year rookie deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Chosen fourth overall, Campbell will see a lofty fully guaranteed pact ($43.66MM) come his way. New England will have a fifth-year option on this contract, covering the 2029 season. This deal leaves Travis Hunter as the only top-10 pick unsigned.
The full guarantee on Campbell’s contract already ranks fifth among LTs, trailing only Andrew Thomas, Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley and Christian Darrisaw. Campbell’s No. 4 draft position this year calls for a substantially higher number than last year’s No. 4 choice (Marvin Harrison Jr.) received — at $35.37MM. The player Campbell has vowed to protect, 2024 No. 3 overall choice Drake Maye, will also see his LT’s terms outdistance his considerably. Maye is tied to a four-year, $36.64MM accord.
Although Cam Ward‘s No. 1 draft slot has not caught up with the monster payments the pre-rookie-scale era brought No. 1 QB choices, Campbell’s AAV and full guarantee have passed the final pre-rookie-scale No. 4 draftee (Trent Williams). The future Hall of Famer signed a six-year, $60MM Washington deal in 2010; that pact came with $26.38MM fully guaranteed. Campbell is the first rookie-deal O-lineman to surpass those terms in the rookie-scale era.
More to come.