Exclusive: Cowboys Sign All 7 NFL Picks To Rookie Deals; Contract Details
FRISCO - In an active Saturday afternoon at The Star in Frisco, the Dallas Cowboys found a way to sign each and every one of their seven players chosen in the 2020 NFL Draft. The group and what sources tell CowboysSI.com about their contracts:
- Round 1. CeeDee Lamb. WR Oklahoma - 4 years, $14.01M, $7.7M bonus (plus 5th year option)
- Round 2. Trevon Diggs. CB Alabama - 4 years, $6.32M, $2.157M bonus.
- Round 3. Neville Gallimore. DT Oklahoma 4 years, $4.7M, just under $1M signing bonus.
- Round 4. Reggie Robinson II. CB Tulsa - 4 years, $4.02M, $729K bonus
- Round 4, Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin - 4 years, $3.789M, $494K signing bonus
- Round 5. Bradlee Anae. DE Utah - 4 years, $3.532M, $238K signing bonus
- Round 7. Ben DiNucci. QB James Madison - 4 years, $3.39M, $95K signing bonus
In the case of top pick Lamb, he gets a four-year deal worth $14.01 million with a $7.7 million signing bonus. He is the star of the class, of course, but expectations are high elsewhere as well, for the rest of the prospects who get the standard four-year deals.
Expectations might also be high for Diggs, who could join Lamb as an immediate rotation standout.
“It’s been a tremendous experience. I’m extremely grateful,” Diggs said before the draft of getting to this point. “It’s been a lot different with what we’ve got going on in the world today, but it’s a little adversity. You have to work around it and make the best out of the situation that we have. It’s been a different situation. It’s been fun. It’s been a long process. It’s finally coming to an end, and the hard-working is finally going to pay off.”
The Cowboys had Diggs on the list of pre-draft considerations with the No. 17 pick in Thursday's Round 1 before star receiver CeeDee Lamb fell to them there.
The younger brother of former Minnesota Vikings and current Buffalo Bills star receiver Stefon Diggs, Trevon had a different perspective on the draft heading in than most prospects, though he is excited about the chance of facing his brother in the future.
“It would be fun. I would play with him or play against him,” he said. “I’m going to try to dominate him. I’m not trying to play. I’m just trying to dominate, that’s it. Because he’s going to try to dominate me, too. He’s not going to take it light on me, especially me being his little brother. He’s going to be like, ‘I have to dominate you.’ He calls it the ‘Big Brother Syndrome.’ He thinks he can beat me in everything, but I’m going to show him.”
In four years at Alabama, Diggs played in 44 games, where he amassed 68 total tackles, four interceptions, and 17 passes defended, though he did not become a full-time starter until his junior season, which was cut short due to injury.
Diggs also helped the Tide to SEC Championship and National Championship wins over the Georgia Bulldogs, in the 2017-18 season.
In his final season, Diggs helped lead the Crimson tide to a second-place finish in the hyper-competitive SEC West, and a dominant Citrus Bowl wins over the Michigan Wolverines. He also ended the season as an All-SEC First Team selection.
Diggs enters the Cowboys cornerback rotation as one of the most talented players on the roster, but one that will have to earn his spot with Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jourdan Lewis all vying to make a move for Byron Jones' old position.
Any delay here was about putting the players through a pair of COVID-19 tests and then a physical. But COO Stephen Jones and the front office obviously stepped on the gas here on Saturday.
Gallimore, Robinson and Anae might also help sooner rather than later. DiNucci is slated to compete for the No. 3 QB job. But for now? the draft was a success. Saturday's signings are, too. And on Tuesday the full squad reports for training camp at The Star for the next hoped-for accomplishments.
