Chargers WR Tre Harris becomes first rookie training camp holdout, and he may not be the last

Rookies for the Los Angeles Chargers reported to training camp Saturday, and every player was there except one: No. 55 overall pick wide receiver Tre Harris out of Ole Miss. NFL Media reports the second-round pick is officially a training camp holdout, and it could spell trouble for other NFL teams that made a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

While the reason Harris is holding out was not specifically stated, it’s not tough to figure out. In fact, he may not be the only second-round pick to hold out this month. 

Out of the 32 second-round picks made in April, just two have signed their contracts. The Houston Texans gave wide receiver Jayden Higgins an unprecedented rookie deal in May, gifting him a fully-guaranteed contract. Then, the Cleveland Browns gave linebacker Carson Schwesinger a fully-guaranteed contract as well. We know that New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has been fighting behind the scenes for a fully-guaranteed contract, and odds are he’s not the only second-round pick looking to follow in the footsteps of Higgins and Schwesigner. 

What’s interesting about this situation is that Harris and other second-round picks completed on-field work through OTAs and minicamp. This wasn’t a situation like that of Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who has not signed his rookie contract due to language that could potentially void future money. He hasn’t participated in any drills. 

Harris is the first second-round pick to not report to camp, so it’s fair to wonder if the other unsigned second-round picks will also hold out. Tuesday is a day to watch, as there are six teams that expect rookies to report: The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

Next potential second-round holdouts