In honor of former Giants executive George Young, Happy Bastille Day, everybody.
Young was famous for downplaying early anxiety over contract negotiations for rookies, saying “Nothing ever gets done until Bastille Day.”
Now with some teams within a week of reporting to camp, that staple of NFL wisdom has gone by the wayside, as 252 of the 256 NFL Draft picks were signed well before the mid-July holiday.
Only four unsigned draft picks remain: Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert (eighth overall), Titans first-rounder Taylor Lewan (11th), Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee (second round, 39th) and Dolphins tackle Billy Turner (third, 67th).
To be honest, there’s little reason for those deals to not be done, and as team officials filter back in from vacation, they should get taken care of.
The Titans were late to finish last year, as Chance Warmack was the final first-rounder to sign.