Sam Darnold finally signed his rookie contract on Monday and showed up for his first training camp practice after a minor contract battle with the club.
It’s a hugely positive development for him as a player, and potentially for the entire team. Darnold has a legitimate shot at starting this year as a rookie, according to offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates.
When he finally did arrive to the practice field, the No. 3 overall pick was greeted by what was likely a round of sarcastic applause by his teammates.
Cool moment as Jets players clap as Sam Darnold jogs on to the field. pic.twitter.com/tWvNL0jFc5
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaSports) July 30, 2018
You know he’s going to get ribbed a bit by his veteran teammates for the mini-holdout. That’s totally expected.
However, it’s also worth pointing out that the contract impasse appeared to be more about Darnold’s representatives, rather than anything he was stuck on personally, as reports emerged that he was pretty upset about the holdup to begin with.
Thankfully, that’s all a thing of the past now. Darnold and the Jets can move forward, and it’s a good thing as the team’s first preseason game is just over a week away.