Mitch Trubisky, top 2017 NFL draft picks still have something to prove
Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm looks at the group of players from the 2017 NFL draft class who had their fifth-year options declined, including four of the top five picks from that year.
Video Transcript
ERIC EDHOLM: It's a big week in the NFL for the first-round picks in the 2017 NFL draft. This is when NFL teams have decided whether or not to pick up those players' fifth-year options. And doing so enacts a salary that guarantees those players a fifth year contract that rates among the highest at their respective positions.
So far, though, the players that we've seen who haven't been picked up are the most notable, and it starts at number two in the draft that year-- Mitch Trubisky to the Chicago Bears. They traded up to get him, clearly a sign that they're not happy with his development at this point. Doesn't mean Trubisky can't be a good quarterback in the league-- perhaps even for the Chicago Bears-- but it's obvious now they wouldn't have traded for Nick Foles this off-season, and they would've picked up his option had they seen better play out of him to this point. And of course, the most famous part, he was drafted over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, both of those players-- no shock at all-- had their fifth-your options picked up.
But it was a strange year overall, four of the top five selections in that draft also were not picked up. We saw Solomon Thomas at number three, Leonard Fournette at number four, Corey Davis of the Titans at five. None of them received their fifth-year options, a clear sign they've got to produce now or otherwise be looking at free agency a little bit sooner than they hoped for.
At least 12 of those first-rounders have not been picked up. We're still waiting to hear on a couple of 'em, but it's a good reminder to look back at this most recent draft a couple of weeks ago and say, it won't be too far from now when we're deciding the fates on Joe Burrow, Chase Young and company, and a lot can change between now and then.