The painfully obvious reason the Titans haven't signed Femi Oladejo

The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with eight of their nine selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. Even No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward has inked his four-year rookie agreement with the Titans. Their lone unsigned draftee is second-round EDGE Femi Oladejo.

There's a good reason for that. The Titans (and the rest of the NFL) could blame the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. Earlier this offseason, the Texans signed their second-round pick (No. 34 overall) Jayden Higgins to a fully guaranteed contract. The Browns followed suit by doing the same with linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the 33rd selection.

Those precedent-breaking decisions have sent the rest of the second round into complete disarray. In fact, every other second-rounder remains unsigned as a result.

Oladejo was a full participant at rookie minicamp, voluntary OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. His contract status isn't creating a distraction. Both parties are simply waiting for more clarification and precedence.

Ironically enough, the Titans originally owned the 35th selection, the follow-up pick to Schwesinger and Higgins. They traded that pick to the Seattle Seahawks, moving down 17 spots to No. 52, acquiring an extra third-rounder in the process. The Seahawks took safety Nick Emmanwori, who also remains unsigned.

Second-round choices are now in a position to demand fully guaranteed contracts, or at least for larger portions of their deals. Will this trend impact the Titans and Oladejo? It likely depends on what occurs around their position. For example, will 51st pick Nic Scourton receive a fully-guaranteed deal from the Carolina Panthers? How about the 53rd selection, Benjamin Morrison?

It would benefit the Titans and Oladejo to wait out additional examples. Oladejo's camp could argue all second-rounders should receive fully guaranteed deals. The Titans could be hoping to argue this new trend is reserved for early second-round picks only. There could be a big difference between the guarantees included in the contract of the 35th overall pick versus the 55th selection, for example.

Contract disputes among rookies aren't new. The Cincinnati Bengals are currently involved in a historical one with their first-round pick Shemar Stewart over language and voiding default guarantees. Rookie wages are predetermined per the CBA, but language, guarantees, and voids are open to negotiation. The Titans and Oladejo are both attempting to navigate new waters.

The Titans will attempt to get Oladejo signed prior to training camp. That should serve as the hard deadline for GM Mike Borgonzi. Oladejo has been a willing participant and the staff has been impressed with his buy-in and development. Both sides understand the situation.

It's just a matter of time before additional precedence ultimately forces a decision.