The Ravens have signed five players from their draft class to rookie contracts.
First-round cornerback Nate Wiggins, second-round offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, fourth-round cornerback T.J. Tampa, seventh round center Nick Samac and seventh-round safety Sanoussi Kane have signed their rookie deals on their first day at work, the team announced Thursday.
It's unusual for players to get their rookie contract done so early, especially first rounders. Wiggins is the first 2024 first-round pick to ink his deal, per NFL Media.
Football Administration/Salary Cap Analyst Sophie Cortese, who works alongside Vice President of Football Administration Nick Matteo, negotiated her first contract.
The Ravens have just four players from their rookie draft class remaining to be signed – third-round outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, fourth-round wide receiver Devontez Walker, fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali, and sixth-round quarterback Devin Leary.
Wiggins was the 30th-overall pick and many draft experts predicted he would be off the board much sooner. The 6-foot-1 Wiggins was the fastest cornerback (4.28) at the Combine and defended the opposing team's top wide receiver while at Clemson. He is expected to find a role as a rookie, strengthening the cornerback rotation while joining last year's starters Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens.
Rosengarten impressed General Manager Eric DeCosta at the Senior Bowl and ran the 40-yard dash at the Combine in 4.92 seconds, the fastest of any offensive lineman in the draft. He was a key piece of Washington's offensive front that won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line in college football.
The 6-foot-5 Rosengarten is expected to compete for the starting job at right tackle, the position he played at Washington as the blindside blocker for left-handed quarterback Michael Penix. Rosengarten made 28 career starts for the Huskies, helping them reach the NCAA championship game.
Rosengarten didn't allow any sacks in his 1,158 pass-blocking snaps, and in true pass sets he tied for the fourth-best blocking grade in college football by Pro Football Focus. His mobility makes him a strong fit for zone blocking and as a puller.
Tampa is another potential draft day steal, projected in many mock drafts to go as early as the second round. Pro Football Focus’ Austin Scott put Tampa on his biggest steals from Day 3 list, pointing out that Tampa allowed just one touchdown and forced an incompletion or interception on 16.3% of targets into his coverage last season.
The 6-4, 307-pound Samac was the Michigan State's starting center the past two seasons and was a two-time All-Big 10 honorable mention. The Ravens plan to also have Samac work at guard, where they will have competition at both starting spots.
Kane was a two-year starter at Purdue, where he made 151 tackles, 10 passes defensed, two sacks, and three forced fumbles the past couple years. He was a team captain his final year and honorable mention All-Big Ten. A strong tackler and physical presence in the run game, Kane will compete for a role as a backup safety behind starters Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams and could also contribute on special teams.
