Its Official: Former Penn Tyler Warren Signs 4-Year, $21 Million Contract With Indianapolis Colts.
Former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren was among seven players who signed their rookie contracts with the Indianapolis Colts on Friday. According to Spotrac, which tracks salaries in professional sports, Warren’s four-year deal is worth a guaranteed $20.96 million. The contract includes a signing bonus of nearly $11.9 million.
Warren, whom Indianapolis selected with the 14th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, is among several Nittany Lions who have signed rookie contracts. Safety Jaylen Reed signed a four-year, $4.4 million guaranteed contract with the Houston Texans, who selected him in the fourth round.
As of Friday, the New York Giants had yet to sign No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter to his rookie contract, which Spotrac reports will be worth a guaranteed $45.1 million over four years. That includes a $29.5 million signing bonus.
However, the Giants did unveil Carter’s jersey number at rookie minicamp. The defensive end will wear No. 51 for the Giants, an apparent hybrid between his No. 11 at Penn State and the No. 56 that belonged to Lawrence Taylor.
Warren and Carter represented two Penn State success stories in the 2025 NFL Draft. Carter, who played linebacker during his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions, shifted to defensive end in 2024. He led the FBS in tackles for loss (23.5), was a consensus All-American and became Penn State’s highest-drafted defensive player since 2000.
Warren, meanwhile, remained at Penn State for his final season after earning a third- to fourth-round draft grade in 2024. In returning, Warren set a school record with 104 receptions, won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end and moved into the first round.
Penn State coach James Franklin referenced Warren’s career arc in discussing player development, retention and NIL’s role in each.
“This is one obvious positive of NIL,” Franklin said on a recent episode of the Penn State Coaches Show. “What I mean by that is, you have a lot of guys every year who are third- or fourth-year players, and they’re trying to make the decision of whether they should leave early to go to the NFL or come back. And in the old days when we were making these decisions, they would have to turn down third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-round money in the NFL to come back to college for nothing.
“So now you’re able to say, ‘Let’s not worry about that, because we can help with some of that. And let’s just make the best decision for you and your family, your education and your NFL future,’ and you’re not asking players to walk away from significant money in the NFL. I think Tyler Warren is a perfect example of that.”
As of Friday, the New York Giants had yet to sign No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter to his rookie contract, which Spotrac reports will be worth a guaranteed $45.1 million over four years. That includes a $29.5 million signing bonus.
However, the Giants did unveil Carter’s jersey number at rookie minicamp. The defensive end will wear No. 51 for the Giants, an apparent hybrid between his No. 11 at Penn State and the No. 56 that belonged to Lawrence Taylor.
