Bucs sign first draft picks to contracts in Caleb Benenoch, Ryan Smith

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed their first draft picks to a contract: fifth-round tackle Caleb Benenoch out of UCLA, who should be a backup his first few years on the team, and fourth-round safety Ryan Smith out of North Carolina Central, who the team hopes will be an eventual starter.

Buccaneers signed fifth-rounder Caleb Benenoch (Seven Lakes) to deal worth up to $2.823 million, including $253,184 signing bonus

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 5, 2016

As has been the case since the new CBA went into effect in 2011, there's no real negotiating on these contracts with what is effectively a pay scale dictating each player's salary. Drafted players effectively can't hold out anymore, as there is no real upside and the fines are punitive. So this is less news than just business as expected.

In previous years, the Bucs mostly signed their last draft picks first and their first draft picks last. Benenoch and Smith's signings fit that general trend, though the team does have two sixth-round picks. Regardless, that doesn't really matter. The Bucs should have everyone signed and in the building before long.