The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Rams both start NFL training camp in less than a week, and could be without two of their key pieces for the future.
Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, who were the only quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, have yet to sign their rookie contracts.
Mendoza was taken by the Raiders No.1 overall, while Simpson was the surprise of the draft, being selected at No.13 by the Rams.
The Rams still have time to get a deal done with Simpson before rookies are scheduled to report to Loyola Marymount University for NFL training camp on July 25. The Raiders are facing a tighter deadline as rookies are expected to arrive at their camp on July 23.
During the “Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN, the former NFL punter said the reason why rookies get stuck in these holdouts before training camp is that agents and teams are working out the little things in the deal, which include guaranteed money and offset language.
“I assume that’s what Fernando’s doing,” McAfee said. “I don’t think I fully expected all of the quarterbacks to kind of be holding out, kinda.”
Despite both quarterbacks not officially signing with their teams, they were full participants in voluntary OTAs.
Mendoza and Simpson are both are expected to serve as backups for at least some of this season.
Mendoza is expected to start the season behind Kirk Cousins, while Simpson’s time as a backup will be longer as he will sit behind reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, who recently signed a two-year extension that will pay him over $100 million.
