It’s a league-wide issue
The Las Vegas Raiders don’t necessarily have a Jack Bech problem.
The NFL, however, does have a second-round draft pick problem and that is affecting the Raiders and Bech’s contract talks.
With most rookie classes reporting to training camp this week, there are 30 unsigned players who were drafted in the second round of the April draft. There are two other (first-round picks) draft picks who remain unsigned.
The reason for the delay with the second-round picks is disputes over guaranteed money. The Houston Texans (Jayden Higgins) and the Cleveland Browns (Carson Schwesinger) guaranteed money, which set a precedent. Now, the other second-round picks are looking for the same and the teams are balking.
The Raiders’ rookies report to training camp Thursday. The first full-squad training camp practice is set for July 23.
So, there is some urgency at play. But the good news is this is a league-wide issue, nearly the entire league and several players have a vested interested in finding a solution.
Bech, the No. 58 overall pick, out of TCU, has a chance to be a Week 1 starter opposite of Jakobi Meyers. But he needs to get as much training camp time as possible. All of the Raiders’ 10 other draft picks are signed.
To recap, here is the Las Vegas Raiders’ 11-player 2025 draft class:
- Round 1, Pick 6: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- Round 2, Pick 58 (from HOU): TCU WR Jack Bech
- Round 3, Pick 68: Iowa State CB Darien Porter
- Round 3, Pick 98 (from MIA): Texas Tech G Caleb Rogers
- Round 3, Pick 99 (from HOU): William & Mary OT Charles Grant
- Round 4, Pick 108: Tennessee WR Dont’e Thornton Jr.
- Round 4, Pick 135 (from MIA): South Carolina DT Tonka Hemingway
- Round 6, Pick 180: Ole Miss DT JJ Pegues
- Round 6, Pick 213 (comp): Montana St QB/WR Tommy Mellott
- Round 6, Pick 215 (comp): North Dakota State QB Cam Miller
- Round 7, Pick 222: Minnesota LB Cody Lindenberg