Denver Football Club, better known as the Denver Broncos, make headlines in this report.
In the lead-up to the Denver Broncos' training camp, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, there was a notable absence among the team's rookies - first-round pick Jahdae Barron and second-round pick RJ Harvey were yet to officially settle into the team.
The delay in the signing of both Barron and Harvey was primarily due to contract negotiations and league-wide trends regarding guaranteed money for rookies. Barron, who was one of the very last first-round picks to sign, agreed to a four-year contract worth $18.05 million, including a roughly $9.8 million signing bonus, just before the rookie minicamp began on July 15, 2025.
Meanwhile, RJ Harvey's unsigned status was tied to a broader league-wide hold-up involving second-round picks' contracts. The Houston Texans' unprecedented move of fully guaranteeing the four-year, $11.7 million contract of their second-round pick, Jayden Higgins, had set a new expectation for guaranteed money for rookies. Consequently, many 2025 second-round draftees, including Harvey, sought fully guaranteed four-year deals.
Harvey's projected contract was four years, $7.35 million with a $1.99 million signing bonus. This situation delayed his signing as teams and agents navigated these new expectations for guaranteed money. However, despite these delays, Harvey eventually signed a four-year contract with the Broncos just in time for training camp, ending the hold-up for Denver's draft class.
Both Barron and Harvey are now signed as of mid-July 2025, allowing the Broncos' rookies to fully report for training camp. Fans can now look forward to seeing the full draft class in action as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
[1] Denver Broncos Official Website - Jahdae Barron Signs Contract [2] ESPN - RJ Harvey's Contract Hold-up Reflects League-Wide Dispute over Guaranteed Money for Rookies [3] NFL.com - RJ Harvey Signs Contract with Denver Broncos [4] Breaking Broncos News - Sign Up for Email Alerts [5] Denver Post - Fan Concern Eases as Jahdae Barron Signs Contract before Rookie Minicamp
- The delay in settling Jahdae Barron and RJ Harvey into the Denver Broncos' team was influenced by contract negotiations and the evolving NFL policy on guaranteed money for rookies.
- Despite the hold-up in contract negotiations, both Barron and Harvey, who were drafted in the first and second rounds respectively, ultimately agreed to four-year contracts with the Broncos, as was the case with Jayden Higgins from the Houston Texans.
- The signing of Jahdae Barron and RJ Harvey allows the Denver Broncos' rookies to report for training camp, ensuring a complete draft class on the field as the team gears up for the upcoming American football season.
