The Houston Texans picked wide receiver Jayden Higgins with the No. 34 overall selection in April's 2025 NFL draft and then further invested in him by signing a fully guaranteed, four-year rookie contract. This contract is now causing quite a headache for NFL front offices across the league.
A quick primer for those unfamiliar with NFL rookie deals: players drafted in the first round are typically given fully guaranteed, four-year contracts, a luxury not usually extended to second-rounders and beyond. Most of those non-first-round picks will only have their first two or three years guaranteed, depending on their draft position, which offers little security early in their NFL careers.