Sam Darnold may be a rookie, but he already has an opportunity to compete for the starting job. New York Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is already excited about what he’s seeing from the rookie.
Bates told Rich Cimini of ESPN:
“Are we giving him bits and pieces of the offense or are we throwing everything at him? We’re throwing everything at him. If he can handle it, if he can prove that he’s the starter, then that will take place when the time comes.”
So by Bates saying that he will start when his time comes doesn’t mean that Darnold is definitely going to start Week 1—but it means that he’s definitely going to get a chance to start Week 1.