Browns top rookies Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward remain uns

[liny195]

rookies Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward are two of seven NFL rookies yet to have signed their rookie contracts. The Browns and their prized pair of top 4 picks are running out of time to avoid holdouts as the team will begin mandatory training camp practices this Thursday. Rookies and veterans are all required to report to Berea on Wednesday.On Sunday , notable remaining unsigned rookies Saquon Barkley and Mike McGlinchey inked their deals, both including large signing bonuses. In fact, Barkley’s four-year deal is worth $31.2 million with $20 million guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That makes him the fourth-highest paid running back in the NFL before he ever plays a snap.As WGN Radio’s Adam Hoge pointed out, to this point only rookie linebacker Roquan Smith’s delay is costing his team the rookie’s presence at training camp.Here’s a list of the seven remaining rookies have yet to sign:Browns, QB, Baker Mayfield (Pick No. 1)Jets, QB, Sam Darnold (Pick No. 3)Browns, CB, Denzel Ward (Pick No. 4)Bills, QB , Josh Allen (Pick No. 7)Bears, LB, Roquan Smith (Pick No. 9)Steelers, S, Terrell Edmunds (Pick No. 28)49ers, WR, Dante Pettis (Pick No. 44)These kinds of contract disputes rarely linger long enough to end up affecting players’ chances to participate in camps, let alone risk them missing any game action. Rookie contracts in the NFL are already “slotted” and pre-determined by the NFL rookie scale, so the main hiccups to these deals are usually related to offset language and signing bonus pay timing. Offset language refers to conditional contractual terms relating to players retaining their guaranteed rookie salary, even if released, along with any salary they obtain from another team following their release. It usually comes into play when a player is injured or released in the fourth year of their rookie deal, one year before a team must choose whether to pick up the player’s fifth-year team option. Offset language helps teams release players without them being allowed to “double dip ,” so to speak.Several rookies chose to forego hiring an agent this year, which seems to be a growing trend given the cookie-cutter NFL rookie salary negotiation process. You can bet Mayfield and Ward’s agents are working extra hard to prove their worth by getting the most out of the Browns prior to their clients signing on the dotted line.There’s no need for concern, yet, but there may be some upcoming discussions we’ll need to have in the coming days if these two star rookies remain unsigned as Wednesday draws closer.Daily Dawg Chow: Browns news (8/24/18) Cleveland Browns:“Denzel Ward leaves game with back injury against Eagles” (cleveland.com) - “Ward was hurt making a tackle on Eagles tight end Zach Ertz with 10:41 left in the first quarter. He grabbed his back as he lay on the ground.”“Browns QB Tyrod Taylor returns after scary-looking hand injury” (ESPN) - “Taylor suffered a left hand injury in the first quarter of the Browns’ preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night but was able to return.”“Dez Bryant still drawing interest from Browns” (NFL.com) - “Dez Bryant might have left Berea without a contract, but the Cleveland Browns still want him on their roster. The Browns remain very interested in Bryant...”“Cleveland Browns appreciate tone set by Jarvis Landry’s willingness to block” (WKYC) - “Landry prides himself on being an all-around player, and that means doing far more than catching passes from quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield.”“Game Highlights – Browns vs. Eagles” (Browns.com)NFL:“The Rich Get Richer as Iloka Lands in Minnesota” (MMQB) - “The already-very-good Minnesota Vikings got even better when they signed free-agent safety George Iloka on Wednesday.”“Derrick Morgan, Rishard Matthews recovering from knee surgeries” (PFT) - “A pair of Titans are recovering from knee surgeries and one may not be ready to go for the start of the regular season.”“As usual, Fitzgerald has no interest in an NFL farewell tour” (AP) - “If his 15th NFL season is to be his last, don’t expect Larry Fitzgerald to tell anyone. Not until long after the season is over.”“Police report: Richie Incognito wanted to cut off his dead father’s head at funeral home” (CBS) - “The latest Richie Incognito saga continues to take darker twist at each turn, with new information being revealed.”