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You get the sense
that the market for Sam Darnold isn’t as good as many thought it would be, including the top NFL scoop guy in the country, ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Remember what he said on February 3 on “Haberman and Middlekauff” podcast:
“I headed into the offseason thinking they would get a second-round pick and maybe something else for him,” said Schefter. “I thought that would be his value if they decided to trade him. I think with all the movement going on, I think with what Matthew Stafford went for, I think his value, in then, again if they trade him, will be some sort of late one. That’s my sense and belief.”
It is really hard seeing that sort of value coming back at this point.
Now it should be pointed out that Schefter was just speculating here, he wasn’t “scooping.” This wasn’t one of his scoops. It was just him answer a question on a podcast.
So it’s unfair to say that Schefter missed on a scoop if the Jets don’t get a late one for Darnold. He was just giving his take on what they might get back.
It’s going to be real hard for the Jets to get a first-round pick for Darnold. It might hard for them to get even a second-round pick. Why?
Because the other teams are looking at the same game tape that the Jets are looking at, that you guys are looking at, and as they say in the scouting world, “The film don’t lie.”
You can blame the coaching, scheme, offensive line and weapons all you want, but the struggles reading defenses, and the tendency to bird-dog his throws to his primary receiver, are there for the whole football world to see, so it’s hard for these other teams to justify giving up a first-round pick for him.
You know what might make a good landing spot if they do trade him – the Denver Broncos. They need a QB to come in compete with Drew Lock for the starting job. Lock has been underwhelming and the Broncos have made it clear he will have to compete for the job in camp. So Darnold would be a good candidate to do that, especially since he’s a cheap, working on the fourth year of his rookie deal.
Now some might argue that they Jets should keep Darnold and let him compete for the starting job with whomever the Jets pick in the draft at the position. Remember, these first-round contracts aren’t nearly as expensive as they used to do, so this wouldn’t be the case of two guys, with monster QB contracts, both on the same roster.
However, in this media market, having a QB competition like that, could turn into a three-ring circus in training camp, and cause a distraction to the team.
Another option might be to hold on to Darnold through the summer, and see if another team suffers an injury to their starter, and this would open up a strong trade scenario.
But the bottom line is, whether it’s now, or in the summer, it’s hard seeing the Jets get a first-round pick for Darnold.
Reading the tea leaves, it just doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.
Everyone is looking at the same game tape.
March 18, 2021
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