Alfred Collins signing his contract is big for the 49ers — and the entire NFL

The 49ers accomplished a massive piece of contractual business Wednesday and it’s one that should cast ripple effects across the rest of the NFL.

Defensive tackle Alfred Collins, the team’s second-round draft pick at No. 43 overall, reached an agreement with the 49ers on his rookie contract. Though it had been known that Collins would sign a four-year deal worth up to $10.3 million (that’s preset by the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s rookie wage scale), the amount of fully guaranteed money within the general total had been a sticking point.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers and Collins ended up agreeing to $9.1 million of fully guaranteed money. That’s 88% of the contract. For reference, last year’s No. 43 overall pick — Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton — had 78% of his contract fully guaranteed. So even in a league of escalating annual costs, that’s a big one-year jump.

Collins becomes just the third of 32 second-round picks to sign in 2025. The others, Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Houston Texans receiver Jayden Higgins, were the top two picks of the round. They both signed fully guaranteed contracts, previously reserved only for first-round picks, creating an impasse among the remaining 30 second rounders — all of whom want more fully guaranteed money than their predecessors — as rookies across the league reported to training camp this week.

Collins did not report to the beginning of the 49ers’ rookie program on Tuesday, but the completion of his contract means that he should now be able to join his teammates at the facility. That’s vital for the 49ers, who are renovating a languishing defense this offseason. The team lured back defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and spent its first five draft picks on defenders, including Collins. A fully immersive training camp is imperative for rookies to be ready by the time real NFL football rolls around in September.

The agreement with Collins also means that the remaining 29 unsigned second-round rookies should be closer to finalizing their contracts. With Schwesinger and Higgins (Picks No. 33 and 34, respectively) locked in at 100% on the guarantee scale and Collins (Pick No. 43) set at 88%, there are firm guideposts in place for the round’s other contracts. Picks 35 to 42 should sign for between 89 and 99% fully guaranteed, while second rounders picked after No. 43 should see progressively declining percentages under Collins’ mark at 88%.

The 6-foot-7 Collins, whose wingspan measures more than seven feet long, was a stalwart against both the run and pass in college at Texas. The Longhorns allowed only 2.9 yards per rush while he was on the field. Collins also batted down seven passes at the line of scrimmage. He finished with only one fewer pass breakup than Texas teammate Jahdae Barron, who won the Jim Thorpe Award — which is given to the nation’s top defensive back.

Saleh envisions that Collins will fit into the 3-technique role along the 49ers’ defensive line. The team prefers a tall, space-eating lineman for the spot formerly occupied by star DeForest Buckner.

Collins is their chosen man for that job, but he’s yet to practice for the 49ers after aggravating a calf injury during his pro day in the spring — before the draft. The 49ers, though, expect Collins to be physically ready for this upcoming camp, which begins in earnest after veterans report next week.

His contract is also now ready. That was a major hurdle for the 49ers to clear, and it should also be a key domino to fall for the rest of the league.