Quarterback Sam Darnold got on the field shortly after signing his contract on Monday and his teammates marked the first-rounder’s long-awaited start to training camp with a slow clap.
Coach Todd Bowles said after practice was over that anyone who signs a big contract after missing part of camp is “going to catch ribbing from the team” and that he expects Darnold will handle it without any problem. The rookie has more pressing matters to worry about when it comes to on-field work.
Bowles said “it’ll take some time” for Darnold to get caught up to where the other players are at this point.
“First day of camp for him,” Bowles said, via NJ.com. “It looked like the first day of camp. He’ll get some studying in and he’ll catch up. You understand the ramifications of missing three practices, but he can catch up and he’s got time to catch up. But he’s got to put his head down, because everybody has a head start.”
Bowles said that he thinks Darnold will have enough practice time to prepare to play in the team’s preseason opener against the Falcons on August 10. If he does, that should provide a good sense of how much catching up Darnold still has to do.