FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- In Rex Ryan's mind, it's a no-brainer.
"If the kid is ready, play him," the former New York Jets coach said Tuesday. "Why would you stunt his growth?"
The kid, of course, is Sam Darnold, only 21 years old and fabulously wealthy -- the perceived savior of a franchise that hasn't been to a Super Bowl in 50 years. Now that he's under contract, with a $20 million signing bonus in the bank, his development in the next few weeks will be one of the top storylines in the NFL.