New Jets QB Zach Wilson attends training camp after contract delay

New York Jets draft pick Zach Wilson missed the first two days of the NFL training camp after longer-than-expected contract negotiations.

News 12 Staff

Jul 31, 2021, 1:05 AM

Updated 1,244 days ago

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New York Jets draft pick Zach Wilson missed the first two days of the NFL training camp after longer-than-expected contract negotiations.
But the No. 2 overall pick is finally at the Jets’ practice field.
“I’m just anxious to get back and I think that’s the hardest thing – now money is involved. My whole life I played ball to play ball because I loved the game. And I just wanted to get the business done with so I can do that I love,” Wilson said.
Technicalities and offset language in Wilson’s contract caused the delay. But both sides reached an agreement on Thursday. Wilson signed a four-year deal worth more than $35 million. Wilson says that his teammates had his back during the process.
“They understand it’s a business too and they understand what I was looking for. I had a lot of support, a lot of guys reached out to me and said, ‘We have your back. We support you in everything you’re doing and we can’t wait to have you back.’ So it was cool to have that support,” Wilson said.
With his first training camp practice in the books, Jets head coach Robert Saleh says that Wilson has a lot to learn and experience before the first week of the regular season.
“I know sometimes we can get focused on results, but there's process and he's got a tremendous process. Can't control certain things that happen play in and play out, but you can control your process and how you approach things day in and day out,” Saleh said. “We're already getting a really good feel just going through the draft process and OTAs. He's going to have the right process, he's going to get better.”
Now that the deal is signed, the new quarterback says that he wants to deliver.
“You can’t buy a Super Bowl, so I guess I’ll go to work. We’ll get one of those,” Wilson said.
Training camp is just getting started. The Jets’ first preseason game is Aug. 14 against the Giants. They open the regular season Sept. 12 at Carolina.