The beginning of the much-anticipated Sam Darnold Era will have to wait a little longer.

Darnold, the Jets' latest franchise quarterback and the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, officially became late for his first training camp when he failed to report with the rest of his teammates on Thursday morning, and even missing the Jets' first team meeting later in the day. He is one of two first-round picks still unsigned, joining Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith, who was taken eighth overall.

A Jets team source insisted they aren't worried about the holdup, and expressed some optimism that a deal could be done in time for Darnold to attend the Jets' first practice on Friday afternoon. But the longer it takes, the more curious it gets since there isn't much to negotiate in rookie contracts anymore, and since Darnold needs all the practice time he can get to have a legitimate shot at the Opening Day starting job.

The Jets will hold their first practice of training camp on Friday afternoon in Florham Park, N.J., beginning at 1:50 p.m.

Money is "slotted" for all draft picks under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement and whenever Darnold signs the 21-year-old will get a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $30.5 million and a signing bonus of about $20.2 million. The deal will include a team option for a fifth year, as it does for all first-round picks.

So why the holdout? Contract disputes for first-rounders are almost always about one of two things: Either a payment schedule for the signing bonus or "offset language" in the deal. If it's about the payment of the $20.2 million bonus, though, that seems like a simple hurdle to overcome since the money is guaranteed anyway.

If it's the "offset language," that's a ridiculous fight that often becomes a test of wills to see who blinks first. "Offsets" are about who would pay a player if he's cut in the first four years of the contract and signs with another team. The teams, of course, want to deduct what the player's new team is paying them from what they still owe the player. And players (and their agents) would prefer to "double dip" and get money from both teams.

It's ridiculous because if Darnold is cut in the first four years of the contract, the Jets have far bigger problems than who'll be paying him. In fact, most likely, they'll be beginning another rebuilding project under a new general manager and head coach. Then again, to be fair, neither of the last two quarterbacks drafted by the Jets made it to the end of their rookie deals -- Christian Hackenberg (second round, 2016) and Bryce Petty (fourth, 2015). Geno Smith (second, 2013) did, but he had lost his starting job two years earlier.

The Jets, of course, hope Darnold has a long future ahead of him with the team, but they'd prefer to get that started as soon as possible. Their other quarterbacks are 39-year-old veteran Josh McCown, and Teddy Bridgewater who is attempting a comeback from a devastating knee injury. Darnold is expected to begin camp third on the depth chart behind those two, but he figures to get plenty of first-team reps so the Jets can see if he's ready.

But he has to get to camp first before that can happen.

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