Kansas City Chiefs are slower to sign 2020 draft class

The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to sign a single pick from the 2020 draft class.

There’s certainly no hurry for any team to sign a drafted player in the National Football League. Rookie deals are already slotted, per the collective bargaining agreement, which means every player knows how much they will make the moment they are drafted. Other than offset language in a contract, there’s very little wiggle room for any negotiations to take place.

Not only are contracts are basically set for any drafted rookie, but the current NFL landscape is paused on any in-person activities. It’s not as if rookies are being asked to perform drills or practice with the worries of not being under contract hanging over their head. Thanks to safety measures in place due to COVID-19 and its potential spread, the league is not even sure when players can report back to facilities just yet.

That said, the Kansas City Chiefs are moving quite slowly thus far when signing their six-man rookie class. Some teams have already gotten several players officially on the books, while the New England Patriots have all financial business finished.

The Chiefs drafted six players overall, beginning with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of LSU in the first round. Let’s look at the projected contracts that will be given to each (per Spotrac) just to get an idea of what the total should resemble when the news breaks on each rookie signing. Each deal will be for four years in length (while Edwards-Helaire will come with a fifth-year team option):

• Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB – $10.8 million (2020 cap hit: $1.97M)
• Willie Gay, Jr., LB – $5.3M (2020 cap hit: $958K)
• Lucas Niang, OT – $4.5M (2020 cap hit: $822K)
• L’Jarius Sneed, DB – $3.9M (2020 cap hit: $768K)
• Michael Danna, DL – $3.6M (2020 cap hit: $676K)
• BoPete Keyes, CB – $3.4M (2020 cap hit ($631K)

Given the approximated cap hits, the Chiefs should need nearly $6 million of free salary cap space to sign their drafted rookies.