Packers Sign Rookie Linemen Myers, Newman

With second-round center Josh Myers and fourth-round lineman Royce Newman under contract, seven of the nine draft picks have signed.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
May 14, 2021 5:55 PM EDT
Original:
May 14, 2021

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With Day 1 of the Green Bay Packers’ two-day rookie minicamp complete, seven of the nine draft picks have been signed.

The latest to put pen to paper were second-round center Josh Myers and fourth-round offensive lineman Royce Newman, the team announced after Friday’s practice.

All draft picks receive four-year contracts, with the exception of unsigned first-round pick Eric Stokes, who will get a four-year deal with a fifth-year team option.

The contracts are slotted, so there’s little in the way of negotiations to be done. Myers’ deal is worth about $5.58 million with a signing bonus of about $1.42 million, while Newman’s deal is worth about $3.98 million with a signing bonus just shy of $500,000.

After redshirting in 2017 and playing in 10 games as a reserve in 2018, Myers started 21 of his final 22 games at Ohio State. In 2020, he was one of three finalists for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation’s top center. He helped pave the way for Ohio State’s first 2,000-yard rusher (J.K. Dobbins in 2019) and a two-time Heisman Trophy candidate (quarterback Justin Fields finished third in 2019 and seventh in 2020).

“It’s hard to put into words,” Myers said after going through his first practice. “When I was a little kid, this all I ever wanted to do, just like a ton of other little kids. For me to be able to live that dream out like I know literally millions of others want to, just almost a humbling experience. I couldn’t be more excited about it.”

After redshirting in 2016 and playing in 21 games off the bench in 2017 and 2018, Newman started all 12 games at left guard in 2019 and all 10 games at right tackle in 2020. He didn’t receive any postseason accolades despite being a key part of an Ole Miss offense that ranked in the top 20 in FBS in nine offensive categories last season, including No. 3 in total offense per game. Among the Rebels’ masterful performances was a 647-yard onslaught against eventual national champion Alabama, the most ever allowed by the Crimson Tide.

Cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles was among the first wave of signings.

Only Stokes and third-round receiver Amari Rodgers remain unsigned.