With all the drama surrounding the 2019 NFL draft and the upcoming rookie minicamps, an important deadline has gone relatively unnoticed around the NFL.
May 3 marks the final day for teams in the league to exercise their fifth-year options on rookie contracts for members of the 2016 first-round draft class.
The Seahawks now have a decision to make regarding tackle Germain Ifedi, who was selected at No. 31 overall in 2016 and set to make $10.35 million in 2020.
Fifth-year salaries are determined by original draft order. The top-10 picks in 2016 will net an average of the 10-highest salaries at their position and the remainder of the first rounders will earn the average of the third through 25th highest salaries at their positions.
Under the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, each player’s position is determined by where he took the most snaps during his third year in the league.
NFL.com is tracking the fifth-year options statutes for all 2016 first-round players in question here.
