Will McDonald IV and the New York Jets have avoided an unnecessary training camp distraction. The first-round pick agreed to his rookie contract and arrived for the first day of camp on Wednesday.

McDonald was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Rookie contracts are slotted so there’s no negotiating salary. There’s some wiggle room on bonuses, though that should not cause a top pick to miss any part of training camp.

The Jets also agreed to terms with second-round pick Joe Tippmann. He’s expected to sign his rookie contract later Wednesday, via ESPN's Rich Cimini..

Tippmann arrives at camp looking to unseat veteran Connor McGovern as New York’s starting center.

McDonald faces an uphill climb for playing time as a rookie. Veterans Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers are the starting defensive ends and Jermaine Johnson, a first-round pick in 2022, is also ahead of McDonald on the Jets depth chart. New York also has Micheal Clemons and Bryce Huff who can play on the edge.

As such, this could be a developmental season for McDonald, who needs to get bigger and stronger. Yet, his innate inability to get to the quarterback could land him playing time in the Jets rotation this season.

A freak athlete who jumped over cars as a teenager, McDonald also has an inspiring backstory. During high school, he worked at McDonald’s and slept in his car before earning his big opportunity at Iowa State and, now, the NFL.

McDonald could be one of the featured stars on Hard Knocks, the HBO training-camp series featuring the Jets this season.