Ian Rapoport reportedly reported that Carolina is signing RB Christian McCaffrey to a four-year $64 million contract extension. McCaffrey, the eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft (Aaron Jones was # 182), had two years left on his rookie deal – the NFL has a special rule for Top 10 draft picks, namely a fifth-year team option equal to the salary of the league’s transition tender during the player’s fourth season.
Last season another star running back made similar news: the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott (# 4 overall in 2016 draft) signed an extension. The circumstances were quite different, however.