In April, after happily snatching him up at pick No. 60, Broncos general manager George Paton referred to UCF running back RJ Harvey as the staff’s “pet cat.”
But it’s July now, and Harvey has yet to officially settle into the Broncos’ lap.
As Denver’s rookies are set to report for training camp Wednesday, first-round pick Jahdae Barron and second-round pick Harvey remain unsigned. Barron’s delay is unclear. He’s the only first-rounder left without a contract outside of Shemar Stewart’s messy impasse with Cincinnati, but it’s quite possible the Texas cornerback puts pen to paper this week without incident.
Harvey, though, is stuck in the muck of a league-wide holding pattern, as NFL owners and agents are locked in a staring contest over guaranteed contract values for second-round picks. Chargers rookie Tre Harris didn’t report on the first day of Los Angeles’s training camp on Saturday. And there’s a real chance the Broncos — and 29 other NFL teams — could begin camp without their second-rounders, too.
“Tre doing it,” one agent of a second-rounder told The Denver Post, “I think, kinda sets a precedent.”
The percentage of fully-guaranteed rookie money for NFL second-round contracts has risen for years, alongside rising slot values. Look no further than pick No. 33, generally the first or second slot in the second round. In 2023, quarterback Will Levis got roughly 92% of his total rookie deal guaranteed by Tennessee. In 2024, receiver Keon Coleman got about 96% guaranteed by Buffalo.
And this offseason, 2025 No. 33 pick Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland) and No. 34 Jayden Higgins (Houston) signed fully-guaranteed rookie deals. For two months since Higgins officially signed his deal, no second-round pick has done the same.
The reason, as multiple agents of 2025 second-round picks told The Denver Post, is an unstated but implicitly coordinated effort to avoid being the guy who doesn’t get his deal fully-guaranteed. It’s a picket line, of sorts, that no camp wants to cross.
Unless some NFL front office takes a step first.
“If everybody is strong enough,” another agent told The Post, “then we’ll get the entire round guaranteed.”
That leaves Harvey at the bottom of the second-round heap, down at No. 60. Both teams and agents are staring up at the slot ahead of them to see what’s negotiated. Seattle’s talks with No. 35 pick Nick Emmanwori, the highest second-rounder left unsigned, will set the precedent for the slot below — and all subsequent dominoes could fall at once.
The 60th pick in 2024, Cole Bishop, saw just over half of his rookie deal guaranteed. The overall value of Harvey’s deal is set at roughly $7.3 million. If beefed-up numbers from the top of this year’s second round trickle down to the bottom, it’ll mark a truly historic development in NFL rookie negotiation.
It’s unlikely this large-scale standoff lasts excessively long, as NFL teams generally aren’t in the business of delaying second-round pick development over a few guaranteed millions. After the Broncos brought in veteran RB J.K. Dobbins well into offseason activities, Harvey’s growth in camp is crucial as a potential tandem back in head coach Sean Payton’s offense this fall.
But just two days remain until rookie cleats hit turf in Dove Valley. And six teams with currently unsigned second-rounders — the Ravens, Bills, Dolphins, Giants, 49ers and Seahawks — will see rookies report on Tuesday.
“If all six of those guys don’t report,” an agent told The Post, “then I think this turns into a big story.”
Top of the second round
A look at what the No. 33 overall pick in the last five NFL drafts has signed for (click here to view chart in mobile):
| Year | Team | Slot Value | Guaranteed Money | % Guaranteed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Schwesinger | 2025 | Browns | $11,800,400 | $11,800,400 | 100% |
| Keon Coleman | 2024 | Bills | $10,074,258 | $9,640,505 | 95.69% |
| Will Levis | 2023 | Titans | $9,542,166 | $8,730,957 | 91.50% |
| Logan Hall | 2022 | Buccaneers | $9,316,454 | $7,566,029 | 81.21% |
| Tyson Campbell | 2021 | Jaguars | $9,015,103 | $7,175,744 | 79.60% |
Source: Spotrac.com