Why Signing Their Second-Round Rookie Now Was Great Business for the 49ers
It has been more difficult to negotiate deals with the most recent second-round draft prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. There is a major factor in the negotiation process that appears to be enduring. To begin, the initial two second-rounders to sign were Texans receiver Jayden Higgins and Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. However, they didn’t sign ordinary second-round pick contracts as they both signed fully guaranteed contracts back in May, marking an unprecedented set of deals. Ultimately, those negotiations quickly created a ripple effect across the NFL, leading to rookies from picks No. 35 to No. 64 demanding the same fully guaranteed money.
However, changes to second-round rookie contract negotiations were made yesterday. The 49ers signed their 2025 second-round draft selection, Alfred Collins, to a four-year deal worth $10.3 million with over nine million guaranteed. Collins became the third 2025 second-round draft pick to sign a contract with their respective team. Not only was this major news for San Francisco and the next steps they can take toward preparation for the upcoming season, but it should be viewed as important news for other unsigned second-round selections and their organization’s negotiation process. It is unlikely that any second-round rookies will receive fully guaranteed contracts, and teams can thank Collins and the 49ers’ great business for that.
As we look at this from San Francisco’s perspective, it was essential to sign Collins to his rookie contract as soon as they could. They wasted all of rookie minicamp and mandatory minicamp to agree on a contract, but it became now or never after two days of rookie training camp when the organization began to feel the pressure of getting the deal done. The 49ers drafted Collins with the 43rd pick to be an impactful run-stopping anchor who could help improve a vulnerable 2024 interior defensive line. With Robert Saleh returning as defensive coordinator, the wide-nine defensive scheme they run will not change. The Longhorn product has the talent to transition, but it’ll take time for the rookie to adjust as he served a very different role during his time at Texas. Collins will need every rep to develop his skill set and frame into an effective wide-nine defensive tackle while preparing for instant game action, where the 49ers expect improved results.
