Zach Wilson is M.I.A.
New York Jets training camp has finally arrived, and franchise quarterback Zach Wilson is nowhere to be seen.
The Jets reported to Florham Park on Tuesday morning. Wilson is not in attendance as he and his team continue their contract dispute with the Jets.
Despite the overarching reason still remaining a mystery, the New York Post’s Brian Costello believes the primary reason for the dispute appears to be offset language in the contract. If present, offset language lessens the amount of money that a team owes a player if he is released prior to the end of his contract.
Offset language is standard practice in most NFL contracts, particularly those signed by the Jets, but every once in a while, a haggling agent comes around. Sam Darnold’s 2018 contract dispute with the Jets was reportedly a matter involving offset language, in addition to forfeiture language (compensation in the event of a non-football injury).
A primary reason for the Wilson-Jets dispute could be the fact that fellow first-round quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields signed contracts that do not include offset language. Wilson’s team could be using them as an argument in the BYU product’s favor.
James Morgan and Mike White time
Until Wilson reports, the only quarterbacks on the Jets’ roster are Mike White and James Morgan.
White was a fifth-round pick out of Western Kentucky in 2018. He has yet to appear in a regular-season game but played in eight preseason games for the Cowboys from 2018-19, struggling as he threw one touchdown and posted a 68.5 passer rating.
Morgan was the first quarterback drafted by Joe Douglas in his tenure as the Jets’ general manager, being selected out of Florida International in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
The Green Bay native (who wears No. 12 in honor of Aaron Rodgers, who the Jets will see in August) did not appear in the regular season, and with preseason games cut out of the schedule in 2020, he never got a chance to showcase his abilities.
The Zach Wilson contract situation has officially become a pressing headline. With every second that goes by, Wilson misses valuable practice time as he prepares for his debut season.
This does get me a tiny bit nervous because JD has been pretty stern about standing his ground up to this point. I guess you gotta take the bad with the good.