Why Norman-Lott in Jeopardy of Missing Start of Chiefs Camp

In six days, Kansas City players are scheduled to report to St. Joseph, Mo., and rookie Omarr Norman-Lott is in danger of missing the start of his first NFL training camp, thanks to the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints.

Norman-Lott, an interior pass-rush specialist out of Tennessee drafted 63rd overall, is one of 30 unsigned second-round players across the league. Two first-rounders, Cincinnati’s Shemar Stewart and Denver’s Jahdae Barron, are also unsigned. By league rules, no player is allowed to report to training camp without a signed contract.

Guaranteed money is keeping the dominoes upright. The Texans and wide receiver Jayden Higgins on May 8 inked the NFL’s first-ever fully guaranteed contract for a second-round selection, according to Front Office Sports. On May 9, Cleveland fully guaranteed the contract of linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the first selection in the second round (33rd overall), one choice before Higgins.

And according to analyst Ari Meirov, the biggest X-factor across the league in the language in the contract of Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who has a legitimate shot at starting the opener for first-year head coach Kellen Moore. New Orleans selected Shough (pronounced SHUCK) 40th overall.

“All those rookies from pick number 35 to 39 are very aware that the Saints have Tyler Shough, and his agent wants a fully guaranteed deal,” Meirov said on Monday’s edition of the Drop the Mic podcast. “I don't think the Saints are going to go into all this and have potentially their starting quarterback miss the start of camp.”

Plus, Saints rookies are reporting later than most teams. When the New Orleans rookie class arrives for training camp on July 22, only the Falcons and Steelers will not have reported. Rookies for those two clubs report the following day. Norman-Lott and Chiefs rookies are scheduled to report on July 21.

Meirov said the Texans under general manager Nick Caserio have a history of precedent-setting deals, including rookies, and Higgins is only the latest in that group. And quarterback C.J. Stroud, after this season, could be the next Texans player to sign a uniquely structured contract extension.

There’s little the Chiefs and Norman-Lott can do at this point, other than wait for the 28 second-round selections before him to sign their deals. If he’s restricted from reporting for camp, it’ll be unfortunate because some this offseason viewed the defensive tackle as the steal of the NFL draft.

A unique big man, Norman-Lott generated grades all over the spectrum from draft observers. Slightly undersized at 6-2 and 303 pounds, he started one game in 2024 and played limited snaps for the Volunteers. But when he played, he excelled.

The league’s rookie wage scale has largely ended holdouts since the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, prescribing a rookie’s first-year salary based on his draft slot. But because teams are now guaranteeing more contracts and providing full signing bonuses up front, like the Jaguars did with Travis Hunter in June, an unusually large number of rookies are in jeopardy of missing the start of training camp.

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