ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced this afternoon the Jets traded QB Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers.
In exchange for Darnold, the Jets received a 2021 sixth-round pick (No. 226) plus second- and fourth-round selections in the 2022 draft.
This is a nice haul for a quarterback who was somewhat up-and-down over his three years with the Jets. As they say in the football world, “The film doesn’t lie.” Other teams saw the same film as the Jets did. Darnold has a lot of natural ability, but needs to improve his mechanics and footwork, along with going through his progressions better. With the Jets he too often had a tendency to fixate on his first read.
Obviously a big factor in the Darnold trade to Carolina is the presence of WR Robby Anderson on the Panthers. So Darnold will arrive in Carolina with a strong chemistry already with one of the Panthers’ top wide receivers, a former Jets teammate.
Also, the Panthers have an innovative young offensive coordinator in Joe Brady, who did an incredible job as the LSU offensive coordinator during their national championship season two years ago, helping Joe Burrow have perhaps the greatest QB season in college football history.
Darnold needs to play for an erudite, cutting-edge offensive coordinator who can consistently dial up brilliant first reads, so he can go out there and do this thing.
So Darnold and Joe Brady could be a good marriage.
And now the Jets likely move on to BYU QB Zach Wilson with the second pick of the 2021 draft, a QB considered pretty good at going through his progressions.
*
To subscribe to the monthly Jets Confidential Magazine, click below, or call 1-800-932-4557 (M-F, 12-4). An unfiltered look at Gang Green that is a must-read for Jets fans.
