Cardinals Guard Joins NFL Draft Contract Trend That’s Only Growing

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals signed second-round pick Chase Bisontis earlier this month to a standard four-year contract.

Bisontis, expected to compete for the Cardinals' starting right guard position later in training camp, didn't have his full contract details revealed by the team at the time of signing.

However, CardsWire's Howard Balzer revealed Bisontis became just the latest player in a recent trend of second-round picks to have his contract fully guaranteed.

Balzer reports the total value of Bisontis' four-year deal is worth $13,258,732, which also includes a signing bonus of $6,102,712.

First-round draft picks have their contracts fully guaranteed for four years with an additional fifth-year option for teams. Traditionally, second-round picks haven't had fully guaranteed deals.

Yet that changed last year when the Houston Texans made No. 34 pick Jayden Higgins the first second-round player to have his deal fully guaranteed, and the tide quickly turned from there as seven more second-round picks followed suit last year.

More Day 2 picks next to Bisontis have joined the movement in 2026.

There's no telling where the trend will go in the future, as we may very well reach a point within the next few years where majority of second-round picks have their deals fully guaranteed.

On The Field, Chase Bisontis Can Be Great

Chase Bisontis, Arizona Cardinal — Cardinals rookie lineman from Texas A&M, Chase Bisontis, speaks to the media at the Arizona Cardinals training center on May 11, 2026, in Tempe. | Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Regardless of financials, there's genuine excitement for what Bisontis could be along Arizona's starting group. He played tackle and guard at Texas A&M and is strong in both the run and pass.

“I would say (I’m) a mean, nasty, tough football player. A smart football player that can understand defenses and then make you pay," Bisontis said after being drafted.

The Cardinals do have returning starter Isaiah Adams currently ahead of Bisontis, though the two are expected to engage in position battle later this summer.

“Since high school, I’ve just always come into an organization and taken a spot. I’m just going to be here to learn, grow and be the best version of myself in the league," Bisontis said.

The Cardinals, under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur, need to get their offense moving in the right direction. When ready, Bisontis feels like one of the final puzzle pieces that can turn Arizona's offense around with other established players next to him.

Arizona currently has two 2026 draft picks yet to be signed in quarterback Carson Beck (third round) and defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor (fourth round). All others, including the recent Bisontis, have been officially inked by the team.

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