Under the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, all undrafted NFL rookies must be paid the league minimum salary for their experience: $660,000. But so they can entice rookies to sign with them, teams are still allowed to give them signing bonuses and guarantee portions of their first-year salary.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, no undrafted rookie was guaranteed more than former SMU quarterback Shane Buechele, who was reported to have been promised $175,000 for his first season — including a $15,000 signing bonus.
But speaking to reporters during Sunday’s virtual press conference, Buechele (whose last name is pronounced BOO-shell) appeared just as motivated to be in Kansas City.