The Jets look like they will take the field for their first practice Friday afternoon without first-round pick Sam Darnold.
The quarterback and the team still have not reached a contract agreement, and unless there is a last-minute deal, Darnold will miss the team’s first practice, scheduled for 1:50 p.m.
The Jets drafted Darnold No. 3 overall in April, and he is expected to compete with Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the starting quarterback spot. But the more time he misses, the more it hurts his chances of winning the job. If this is just a one-day absence, it is no big deal.