Why Derick Hall’s contract with the Seahawks is unprecedented

The Seattle Seahawks kicked off their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but there was a significant news item pertaining to one of their 2023 draft picks.

Former Auburn pass-rushing specialist Derick Hall has signed his rookie contract, which is pretty much a formality in this era of the NFL, but what makes Hall different is the structure of his deal as a second-round pick.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that “Hall’s contract will pay 85% of his signing bonus before training camp plus a $100,000 guarantee in Year 4, which would be a first for a second-rounder.”

Here are more dollars and cents specifics from veteran NFL journalist Aaron Wilson.

To use a local example, 2022 second-round picks Kenneth Walker III and Boye Mafe do not have a guaranteed salary entering the final year of his rookie deal. There were three second-rounders across the NFL last season who did have fourth-year guarantees: Logan Hall (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Christian Watson (Green Bay Packers), and Roger McCreary (Tennessee Titans). Presumably the “first three years fully guaranteed for skill, injury, and salary cap” and the signing bonus payments separate Hall from the other players, hence it’s something not seen before for other NFL second-rounders.

With the NFLPA pushing for more guarantees for second-round picks, expect more players to follow in Hall’s footsteps in future drafts when it comes to these contractual agreements. It’s not super exciting news but it’s something to keep in mind in the years to come.

Fellow second-round pick Zach Charbonnet and first-round pick (and No. 5 overall selection) Devon Witherspoon are now the last two draft contracts to sort out, after which every Seahawks draft pick will be under contract.