The Jets avoided a major summer headache when they signed quarterback Mark Sanchez today.
Sanchez, the new face of the franchise, the Jets No. 1 pick, and the fifth player selected in April’s NFL Draft, agreed to a five-year deal that includes $28 million in guaranteed money, according to an NFL source.
If Sanchez reaches certain incentives the deal could escalate to $60 million. The contract makes Sanchez the highest-paid player in Jets history.
“This is just the beginning,” Sanchez said after practice. “I’ll be working every day to justify this contract.”
The Jets’ prior two first-round draft picks, CB Darrell Revis in 2007 and LB Vernon Gholston in 2008, held out a short time into training camp and set themselves back. Gholston, in fact, had a difficult time catching up.
Sanchez, despite the star vibe that follows him, seems to be all about work. He said he was determined to not be a training camp holdout. It begins July 30.
“This is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders,” Sanchez said after the afternoon minicamp practice. “I’m all about football and now I can focus on only football. This sends the right message. It’s not in my makeup to hold out. That would have been terrible for me.
“Now, I know I’ll be there form day one ready to go and ready to compete for the job.”
Sanchez, who’s looked markedly better with each practice, displaying a stronger arm than many believed he had, is competing for the starting job with Kellen Clemens, who’s in his fourth year in this offensive system, but first under new head coach Rex Ryan.
“I’m just happy for Mark and for (GM) Mike Tannenbaum and the football staff that the business stuff is behind them where Mark is concerned,” Ryan said. “From here on out it’s about football. He’s a great young man who has been working hard since he got in here and I’m excited that we have him in the fold.”
This was another step in the new direction the Jets have been taking since their disappointing finish to the 2008 season.
They made the bold draft-day move to get Sanchez, acquiring the fifth pick from Cleveland for their first-round pick, their second-rounder (No. 52), and defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff.
Sanchez said he’s ready to prove the Jets’ decision worthy.
“Obviously, I’m thankful to the Jets and organization, but that comes with a lot of responsibility and I’ll be working every day — on and off the field — to justify this contract and let the Jets know they did the right thing.
“Honestly, I’m still pinching myself. I wanted to be a Jet and to end up with a contract like this is pretty generous on the Jets’ part.”
The No. 1 overall pick, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, signed a six-year deal with $42 million guaranteed, worth up to $78 million.