Finally, Jets ink Darnold

Sam Darnold is signed, sealed and back under center. The New York Jets inked the rookie quarterback to a fouryear, $30.25 million deal yesterday, ending the contract holdout of the NFL’s No. 3 overall draft pick.

Darnold missed the first three days of training camp practice while his representatives and the team worked out the details.

Just a few minutes after the Jets announced the signing, which includes a signing bonus of about $20 million, on social media, Darnold made his way out to the practice field with his teammates. A grinning Darnold made his way to the warmup line and got a pat on the shoulder from Josh McCown.

The 21-year-old quarterback is expected to compete with McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the Jets’ starting job. The 39-year-old McCown is the incumbent and currently the favorite to be under center for New York at Detroit on Sept. 10 in the regular-season opener.

Linebacker Roquan Smith of the Chicago Bears is the lone unsigned pick from the 2018 draft class.

Concussion claims hit $500M

More than $500 million in claims were approved as of yesterday under the NFL’s concussion settlement, nearly a decade earlier than league officials estimated they would reach that amount.

Claims administrators in the settlement released an updated report on the concussion settlement information website saying about $502 million had been approved in less than two years of the settlement. The original actuarial estimates from the NFL estimated a little more than $400 million would be paid out in the first decade.

Attorneys for the retired players adjusted their estimates on the total payout of expected claims, saying the settlement would likely reach $1.4 billion, a half billion more than the NFL first estimated.

Panthers CB breaks leg

Panthers cornerback Ross Cockrell broke his left tibia and fibula during practice at the team’s training camp in Spartanburg, S.C. The team said Cockrell will need surgery, but has not said if he is expected to miss the remainder of the season . ...

Detroit Lions running back LeGarrette Blount returned to training camp a day after walking off the field during practice.