No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson is not with the New York Jets as training camp begins, but first-year head coach Robert Saleh said he hopes the rookie quarterback will arrive soon.
Wilson, unsigned as likely offset language in his initial contract causes a rift in negotiations, was in California on Monday working with a private quarterback coach based on his Instagram posts.
Wilson’s contract value is set — four years, $35.2 million guaranteed, with a fifth-year team option.
But general manager Joe Douglas and Wilson’s reps are still working through granular details of the agreement.
“With regards to Zach, obviously Joe’s working on it here this morning and hopefully that gets done,” Saleh said Tuesday. “But as it is with every player on this roster, when one person misses, another person has to take over those reps, so it’s a challenge just in terms of trying to maintain the wear and tear on all these individual players.
“But for the individual, that’s where the challenge becomes in terms of making up those reps. Everybody knows how important it is to me and our team with regards to reps and practice and process, and every moment you miss from that process, it becomes a challenge from an individual standpoint. But as a team, we’re in good shape, the installs are in good shape and we’re ready to roll.”
The Jets’ first full squad workout on the practice field in Wednesday.
Wilson entered Tuesday as one of three unsigned first-round picks, but the Los Angeles Chargers agreed to a deal with Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater. That leaves Wilson and No. 3 pick Trey Lance as the lone “holdouts.”
Since rookie deals became part of the salary cap signing pool, holdouts have become rare for first-year players.
But offset language has often been a sticking point. Offset payments refer to what the original team would receive in supplemental pay if a draft pick is cut and signs with another team. Timing of bonus payments can also be a sticking point.
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed both of their first-rounders, No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence and No. 25 Travis Etienne, to four-year contracts with no offset language.
–Field Level Media