The San Francisco 49ers have signed several of their selections from the 2025 NFL Draft. However, one of their top picks remains on the sidelines as the decisions made by opposing front offices have held up the rest of the league.
For those who may be unaware, the Niners are still working with Alfred Collins and his representation on finalizing a contract that will get the former Texas Longhorns defensive lineman out on the practice field with the rest of his new teammates. The reason this is the case is something that could change the way contracts are negotiated moving forward.
All but two second-round picks remain unsigned after the No. 33 and No. 34 overall selections received fully guaranteed contracts. This is far from the norm for second-round picks and, as you'd guess, has thrown a wrench in the plans of the majority of the league's franchises.
Given that Collins is expected to be a key piece of the puzzle up front for San Francisco's defensive line, John Lynch and the rest of the front office would love to get a deal done as soon as possible.
There is no doubt Collins has the necessary skills to be a contributor in the trenches for the Niners as a rookie, but every day of work he misses on the practice field at this stage of the offseason will just set him back further once training camp opens.
It makes sense for Collins and his agent to work to get every possible dollar that they can to be guaranteed in the defensive tackle's rookie contract. If Collins' agent didn't work his hardest to do that for his client, the Niners draft pick would have even bigger concerns on his hands.
This deal will get done in due time. That is all that San Francisco's front office can tell its fan base right now. However long it takes for Collins to put pen to paper though is anyone's guess.