You didn’t think Jets training camp could begin without a little quarterback drama, did you?
First-round pick and would-be franchise savior Sam Darnold was a no-show for the first day of camp Friday as his representatives and the team still try to agree on his rookie contract. That meant practice rolled on with Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater taking all of the quarterback reps and Darnold missed Day 1 of the great quarterback competition of 2018.
“I’ve played, I’ve coached, I’ve scouted. It’s part of the business,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “It’s just another day in the office. There’s no animosity there. It’s just the business part. When he comes in we’ll get him caught up to speed and get him ready to go. Right now, we’re just coaching the [89] other guys. It’s not frustrating. I’m a coach. People get hurt. People go down. People get suspended. There are contract situations. That has nothing to do with the team. I worry about the team.”
At the moment, Darnold is not part of that team. The 21-year-old is in New Jersey and ready to report as soon as the contract is done. The two sides are arguing about contract language, according to sources. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, rookies receive a slotted amount of money. In Darnold’s case his contract will be a four-year, $30 million deal, including a $20 million signing bonus.
There are elements of the contract that can be negotiated. One of them is offsets. That is one of the issues Darnold and the Jets are haggling over. Offsets protect the team financially if they cut the player and he goes to another team. The absence of offset language would allow Darnold to collect what the Jets owe him and what another team would pay him.
As Jason Fitzgerald, who runs the website overthecap.com, which analyzes contracts, points out, the two sides are basically arguing over $750,000, which is a small amount of a $30 million contract.
If Darnold is bad enough to get cut after three years, he likely would only be able to get a minimum contract from another team, which would be $750,000. So, that would be the amount the Jets would be looking to recoup.
Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa, the No. 3 pick in 2016, missed the first four games of his rookie season after holding out because of the offset language in his contract.
Depending on who you ask around the NFL, either the Jets or Darnold and his agents are being dumb.
Every other first-round pick, including the other quarterbacks, has offset language in their contracts. So, some would argue Darnold and his agents from CAA, led by Jimmy Sexton, should just accept the offsets. Others argue the Jets should cave because they need to get Darnold into practice and they should not expect to cut him in the next four years anyway.
This feels like a prenuptial agreement. The engagement has been a great ride for three months. Now, the two sides are ready to get married and one says, “I want protection in case we get a divorce.”
McCown said he has exchanged text messages with Darnold and understands why he is not at camp.
“You understand it’s part of the business,” McCown said. “Obviously, we wish everybody was here all the time but as a player you understand everybody has the business side they have to take care of and you respect that. Him and his crew will handle that the way they see fit and we’ll keep working here.”
The 2 ½-hour practice gave McCown and Bridgewater a lot of throws. Normally, teams have four quarterbacks in training camp to divide up the throws.
“I feel like I can have some ice cream tonight, maybe an extra bowl,” McCown joked of the extra exercise.
The big question now is: When does this end? Missing one practice is not a big deal. Missing three or four starts to become one.
“Anytime you’re not here, you lose something,” Bowles said. “It’s been a day. When he comes in we’ll get him caught up. Right now, I’ve got [89] other guys to worry about.”
