Rookies report to Bucs training camp on July 21 and there is a chance Tampa Bay’s Benjamin Morrison might not be one of them. Morrison is one of 30 second-round picks who has yet to sign his slotted contract. He is also the only Bucs rookie draft pick who remains unsigned.

He can’t report to camp until he is officially under contract.

Headline- WATER IS WET AND FIRE IS HOT!

Rookies are NOT ALLOWED to participate in training camp without a signed contract. It’s not the offseason program. So, yes, not a single player will report to training camp without a contract. https://t.co/wuqGt0V4mc

— Jake Rosenberg (@jakerosenberg33) July 11, 2025

The bulk of the second-round draft class is currently jockeying with their respective clubs to expand the guarantees they receive over their 2024 counterparts. Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins, the 34th overall pick have both signed fully guaranteed deals. They are the first of their kind to do so.

No doubt, 35th overall pick Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori is trying to get the same out of Seattle. Falcons defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, the 35th overall pick in the 2024 draft, received 45% of his fourth-year salary guaranteed, which represents the floor of what Emmanwori will receive. The struggle between the two sides is surrounding about $1.33 million.

What does this have to do with Morrison? As the 53rd overall pick in this year’s draft he has no shot to receive a fully guaranteed contract. Last year’s 53rd overall pick, Ben Sinnott did not even get half of his third year’s salary guaranteed. The $602,616 of guaranteed salary he is owed in 2026 represents just 41.5% of that year’s total salary and his $4,597,851 of total guarantees is just 64% of his overall contract value.

While Morrison won’t match Schwesinger and Higgins, he is absolutely looking to advance his guarantees past those of Sinnott. And his best leverage to do so is to wait until the bulk of those unsigned players ahead of him agree to their deals.

How Much Guaranteed Money Can Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison Expect?

My guess is that Benjamin Morrison is trying to get the entirety of his third year guaranteed. If he accomplishes this, he will jump the guarantees 12% of the entire contract over Sinnott. The Bucs are obviously trying to limit that number, and if I would estimate their opening salvo, it was probably 50% of the third year.

Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter was the 53rd overall pick in the 2023 draft. In addition to his signing bonus, Dexter received fully guaranteed salaries in the first two years of his deal. His total guarantees were 55% of his total deal. Sinnott moved the goal line 9% over Dexter. Full year three guarantees reached Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson at pick No. 44 last year. The year prior it was Panthers receiver Jonathan Mingo at pick No. 39. Following that movement, there is a good chance that full third year guarantees will get to pick 49.

Emmanwori is a large factor at play right now. So is quarterback Tyler Shough, drafted at pick 40 by the Saints. As a quarterback taken close to the first round who is practically being gifted the starting role, there is a chance he may have enough leverage to bully general manager Mickey Loomis into a fully guaranteed deal. If he wins that battle every player picked ahead of him will lobby for the same thing and it will adjust every other player in the second round to a higher guarantee.

That’s the needle Morrison will have to thread to get that third year fully secured.

Barring that happening I predict Morrison will get $952,144 of his $1,586,906 estimated year three salary guaranteed. It would be 60% of that salary and added to his signing bonus and year one and two salaries would be 68.4% of his total contract.

When Will Benjamin Morrison Sign?

Bucs defensive tackle Logan Hall, a second-round pick in 2022, signed his deal on July 23, 2022, four days before the start of training camp. Right guard Cody Mauch, a second-rounder in 2023, signed his on July 24, 2023, the day training camp began. Last year, Tampa Bay avoided the sweat altogether, signing outside linebacker Chris Braswell well before camp on June 12.

The Bucs are likely more eager to get this done than Benjamin Morrison and his camp, but there is still time for the two sides to ink the deal without the Notre Dame standout missing any time.