Just in time for training camp, the Buffalo Bills managed to get a key piece of their draft class officially on board. On Thursday night, they signed their second-round pick, T.J. Sanders, finalizing his rookie contract before camp kicks off.
The deal was confirmed by Sanders’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who announced that his client had agreed to a four-year contract worth $10.645 million, with a whopping $10.073 million guaranteed. That means nearly 95% of the contract is guaranteed, which is especially important this year because guaranteed money has become a major issue for second-round selections across the league.
Here’s the backstory: When this year’s NFL Draft wrapped up, two second-round players Carson Schwesinger (a linebacker drafted by the Browns) and Jayden Higgins (a wide receiver selected by the Texans) both received fully guaranteed contracts. That was something we hadn’t seen before at the top of the second round. Once those deals became public in May, agents representing the remaining 30 players taken in that round began pushing for similarly strong financial guarantees.
As a result, negotiations stalled across the board. For nearly two months, not a single other second-round pick had signed. The holdout wasn’t about total money it was all about how much of that money would be locked in, regardless of injuries or roster cuts.
But now that training camps are opening, the pressure to get deals done has started to build. Over the past 24 hours, a wave of second-round signings has finally begun, and T.J. Sanders is one of the latest to ink his deal.
Sanders, a defensive lineman out of South Carolina, is expected to see the field early and often this season. The Bills view him as a player who can contribute right away, especially given the physical demands of the position and the importance of defensive line depth in today’s game. Buffalo clearly wanted him fully signed and ready before camp began and now, they’ve accomplished that goal.