It's a long tradition in the NFL — first-round draft choices signing their contracts just in time for the start of training camp. So it was with linebacker Darron Lee, whose signing brings all the Jets' draft picks in the fold in time for today's first practice of training camp.
Among the recent Jets No. 1's who signed up on the eves of their first NFL training camps were Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson in 2006, Kyle Wilson in 2010, Muhammad Wilkerson in '11, and Dee Milliner in '13.
Here is a list of when the Jets' first-round draft picks (or top picks if no first-rounder in a given year) since 1990 have signed their rookie contracts. Overall draft position and days/practices of training camp missed if any are in parentheses:
1990 — RB Blair Thomas (2), Aug. 25 (missed 34 days of camp)
1991 — QB Browning Nagle (2nd round, 34), June 27
1992 — TE Johnny Mitchell (15), July 14
1993 — LB Marvin Jones (4), Aug. 5 (missed 14 days of camp)
1994 — CB Aaron Glenn (12), July 14
1995 — TE Kyle Brady (9), July 18; DE Hugh Douglas (16), May 31
1996 — WR Keyshawn Johnson (1), Aug. 6 (missed 24 days of camp)
1997 — LB James Farrior (8), July 21 (missed 4 days of camp)
1998 — DE Dorian Boose (2nd round, 56), July 8
1999 — G Randy Thomas (2nd round, 57), July 16
2000 — DE Shaun Ellis (12), July 10; DE John Abraham (13), July 10; QB Chad Pennington (18), July 13; TE Anthony Becht (27), May 26
2001 — WR Santana Moss (16), July 28
2002 — DE Bryan Thomas (22), June 18
2003 — DT Dewayne Robertson (4), July 20
2004 — LB Jonathan Vilma (12), July 27
2005 — K Mike Nugent (2nd round, 47), July 28
2006 — T D'Brickashaw Ferguson (4), July 26; C Nick Mangold (29), July 27
2007 — CB Darrelle Revis (14), Aug. 15 (missed 22 camp practices)
2008 — LB Vernon Gholston (6), July 25; TE Dustin Keller (30), July 17
2009 — QB Mark Sanchez (5), June 10
2010 — CB Kyle Wilson (29), Aug. 1
2011 — DE Muhammad Wilkerson (30), July 30
2012 — LB Quinton Coples (16), May 17
2013 — CB Dee Milliner (9), July 28; DT Sheldon Richardson (13), July 25
2014 — S Calvin Pryor (18), June 2
2015 — DE Leonard Williams (6), May 8
2016 — LB Darron Lee (20), July 27
