Sam Darnold played just seven snaps in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Giants, but it was another step in the development of the quarterback’s chemistry with new coach Adam Gase.

Gase calls the plays and he is the voice in Darnold’s helmet speaker before the snap. Before the game, the two said communication would be something for them to work on in the preseason. It went well on Thursday.

“It was good,” Gase said. “Everything went smooth as far as that aspect just getting everything in, no trouble with communication where he didn’t understand what I was saying and then when he came back, he was able to regurgitate the drive and let me know what he saw.”

Darnold went 4-for-5 on the one drive he played, throwing for 68 yards and a touchdown.

“It was huge,” Darnold said of getting the practice with Gase. “I think we just continue to make strides. These preseason games, I think that’s what that’s for, is just communication, continuing to be on the same page and it didn’t really change from practice very much, the only thing that changed was that I was able to get hit. I think just my communication with the O-line and the receivers and the running back, the tight end, I thought was pretty good. We can clean things up, but I thought for the most part, we did a pretty good job.”

New Jets running back Le’Veon Bell did not play Thursday night. Gase explained why and made it sound as if Bell will play at some point this preseason.

“He’s taken a lot of hits over his career,” Gase said. “The way he’s been practicing, that has really been the important part for us is making sure that he’s in the kind of game shape he needs to be in. Which I feel like you guys have all witnessed that he looks pretty good and he’s in good shape. There will be a time and a place that we’ll get him in a live game. We’re just talking through it and we’re going to take it week-to-week and we’ll come to a consensus at the end of the week before we play a game.”

The Jets do not practice again until Sunday.