Caleb Downs is ready to get down to business.
The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to contract controversy, but that won't be the case with their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Dallas traded up one spot with the Miami Dolphins to draft arguably the best player in the class, Downs, with the No. 11 pick.
Downs officially signed his rookie contract on May 1, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.
The star safety out of Ohio State fell into the Cowboys' laps on draft night during a time when the team was in desperate need of game-changers on defense. Dallas allowed 377 yards per game during the 2025 season, third-worst in the league.
One of the better safety prospects in recent memory, Downs figures to be a key piece to help improve that unit in 2026 and the Cowboys didn't even have to sweat the negotiation.
Here's what to know about Downs' first contract in the NFL.
Caleb Downs contract details
Downs inked a four-year, fully-guaranteed, $28.9 million deal with the Cowboys.
It carries an average annual value (AAV) of around $7.23 million and an estimated signing bonus of $17.5 million, according to Spotrac. The total value of the deal is about $2 million less than what he would've received if the New York Giants selected him at No. 10.
NFL rookie contracts are slotted, meaning the player's draft position determines their contract. They are fixed and limit the haggling in negotiations to things like offset language.
The signing also ends the possibility of any potential holdout from the former Buckeyes star, which has been a problem the Cowboys experienced with veteran players on the roster in recent years.
Expected to start right away, Downs can now get to work immediately as the Cowboys offseason workouts begin.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caleb Downs contract details: Cowboys rookie signs four-year deal
