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NFL Teams Finalize Fifth-Year Options for 2023 First-Round Picks

Early 2026 first-round contracts are trickling in under the rookie wage scale.

Overview

  • NFL teams completed their fifth-year option calls for the 2023 first-round class at the league’s deadline, with a mix of exercises and declines.
  • Carolina and Houston exercised options for Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, while reported declines included Tyree Wilson, Broderick Jones, Jack Campbell, Mazi Smith, and Myles Murphy.
  • Option salaries were set off the NFL’s February projections and hinge on snaps played and Pro Bowl selections in a player’s first three seasons.
  • On the 2026 rookie front, Philadelphia’s Makai Lemon became the first first-rounder to sign, with Baltimore confirming a deal for lineman Olaivavega Ioane.
  • Most first-round rookies remain unsigned under the wage-scale system, which makes four-year deals largely preset but still subject to timing before training camp.