The Chicago Bears are but a single part of a trend across the NFL that threatens to disrupt training camps when they open next month without a resolution. To date, just two second-round draft picks from the 2025 cycle have signed.
That means there is a chance many of those players will not take the field when their respective sessions begin.
Bears Heavily Invested in Disruptive League-Wide Trend
Bears 2nd-Round Picks Unsigned
The Bears selected three players – wide receiver Luther Burden III, offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo, and defensive lineman Shemar Turner – with picks Nos. 39, 56, and 62 in the second round. They made the most selections by a single team in the round. All three had at least partial participation on the field during the offseason program.
It appears the holdup is whether or not the prospects can secure fully guaranteed contracts.
“Heading into the weekend and less than a month from training camp, only two of the NFL’s 32 second-round draft picks have signed,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X on June 27. “Deals are stalled over whether or not contracts will be fully guaranteed. The only two 2025 second-round picks now signed are Cleveland’s Carson Schwesinger and Houston’s Jayden Higgins.”
Notably, Higgins was the first second-round prospect in NFL history to sign a full guaranteed contract.
Schwesinger and the Browns followed suit, likely sparking the league’s tendency to copycat.
Bears Have Bigger Fish to Fry
While the contract situations are significant issues, the Bears have more serious items to be concerned with as training camp approaches.
Burden is one of several players who were navigating an injury at last check.
He had not taken the field since rookie minicamp, but Bears head coach Ben Johnson said he expects Burden to be back for training camp. Bears rookies will report for training camp on July 19, with veterans coming in on July 22.
Moreover, the Bears have to hope that rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland can finally participate in team drills after being limited to rehab work so far.
Trapilo has benefited from Braxton Jones’ absence. What happens when the latter returns?
On defense, the Bears have not had Kyler Gordon for any of the offseason program, though he has been training on his own. Similarly, Jaylon Johnson has been a limited participant, though his absences were not injury-related.
Of all the injury concerns, Jones’ may be the most pressing. How far ahead of Trapilo is he at this point, if at all, and how close is he to returning?
Johnson addressed participation during the offseason. Expect the same for training camp.