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Greg Olsen Is The First First To Sign

If I asked you right after the 2007 NFL Draft who you thought would be the first player selected in the first-round to sign, you probably would not have said Greg Olsen. Not because he is a former Miami Hurricane or because he is a tight end, but because his agent is Drew Rosenhaus. Looks like you were wrong (unless, of course, you did think it would be Olsen).

ESPN reports that Greg Olsen (the 2nd to last pick of the 1st round) has signed a rookie deal with the Chicago deal that is chock-full of bonuses, incentives, and escalators [Olsen, Bears work out unique five-year deal]. The maximum amount that Olsen will be paid over the next 5 years is $10.696 million. Let the games begin.

It happens every year. The first-round selections are the last players to be signed by their respective teams. Negotiations for many of the players selected in the first-round have not even begun. Now that the first player has been inked, you will start to hear about first-round selections signing with teams every week.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports, “Only about 60 of 255 leaguewide draft picks have signed, yet the Bears have signed eight of their nine.” [Olsen in the fold]  It seems like the Bears know a little something about signing their picks.  If only Rosenhaus could get the Bears and his client, Lance Briggs, to get along..

-Darren Heitner

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

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