Tate Ratledge remains unsigned as Lions training camp quickly approaches

Training camps are opening around the NFL in the coming days, and that includes the Detroit Lions. Rookies report this week, but one Lions draft pick remains unsigned on the eve of camp.

Tate Ratledge, Detroit's second-round pick from Georgia, has yet to sign his rookie contract. Ratledge hasn't expressed any displeasure or threatened a lengthy holdout, but NFL rules prohibit players from participating in training camp without a signed contract.

Ratledge and the Lions aren't alone in this weird boat. As of July 15th at 12 p.m., only two second-round picks from the 2025 NFL Draft have signed. Those two are the 33rd pick, Browns LB Carson Schwesinger, and No. 34, Texans WR Jayden Higgins. Houston's deal with Higgins is one of the flies in the contractual ointment.

Normally, second-round picks don't get fully guaranteed contracts. The standard is for the No. 34 pick to have about 96 percent guaranteed, and the percentage of guaranteed monies decreases on a sliding scale (linear regression) to the end of the round. But that's not what happened in Houston. The Texans granted Higgins a fully guaranteed rookie contract.

Cleveland quickly followed by fully guaranteeing Schwesinger's rookie deal. Now the precedent has been set, and none of the other second-rounder — or, more correctly, their agents — wants to be the first to strangle the golden goose of guaranteed money. That includes Ratledge, the No. 57 overall pick.

Ratledge is expected to strongly compete for one of the two vacant starting spots on the Lions offensive line. A right guard throughout college, Ratledge spent the spring sessions crash-coursing at center to possibly be the immediate replacement for the retired Frank Ragnow.

At least one credible source has brought up another fly in the second-round ointment. Troy Chapman of Cap and Trade noted that the situation in New Orleans with No. 40 overall pick, QB Tyler Shough, is also a major sticking point that is bottling up contractual progress for Ratledge and others. Chapman writes,

The linear regression, noted earlier, had the 2.40 draft slot coming in at 87.18% guarantee percentage. Tyler Shough’s agent camp has identified the scenario of Shough winning the QB1 competition for Week 1 of the 2025 season. Armed with the potential starting quarterback position, the agent has (reportedly) been dead set on a 100% guaranteed rookie contract.

The NFLPA reportedly has distributed similar information to the rookies drafted above and below 2.40, advising them to hold and wait for Shough’s contract to be finalized.

Either way, the second-round contract snafus are about to become a real problem for the remaining NFL teams. The last thing the Lions need is any delays in getting Ratledge much-needed work at center.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions 2nd-round pick Tate Ratledge remains unsigned as camp dawns