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Some are very focused on this.
I’m not.
Talking about whether Sam Darnold will be the Jets’ QB in 2021.
Joe Douglas was asked several questions about this a few weeks ago, and Robert Saleh was on Thursday, during his introductory press conference.
On January 5, Douglas was asked, “Will Sam Darnold be the quarterback in 2021?”
Douglas: “We’ve got a lot of decisions to make. I think that Sam is going to be a great quarterback. I’m excited to get a head coach in here, go through our process. I had a great conversation with Sam yesterday, I won’t go into any of the specifics, but I think Sam has a very bright future in this league. So, we’re going to get a head coach in here, we’re going to get together, we’re going to talk about quite a few decisions. I’m excited about Sam.”
On January 21, Saleh was asked, “You spoke glowingly of Sam. So, my follow to that one is, do you plan to make him your starting quarterback going into training camp?”
Douglas: There’s a lot of things that we have to do moving forward. We’re just getting the (coaching) staff into the building, so there’s so many things that we have to do from an evaluation standpoint with regards to the entire roster, not just at quarterback. To give you that answer right now would not be fair. There’s a lot of discussions that need to be had with Joe (and his) staff. So, to give you that answer right now would be a bit premature.
Both man gave the right answers, and didn’t fall into the trap, that could have painted them into a corner.
Why do they need to answer that now? Let’s go back to Week 17 for a second.
First Darnold threw into triple coverage rolling right and it was picked by CB J.C. Jackson.
“That guy that is wide open is at the top of the screen, and he’s running an in-cut and I’m going ‘uh-oh” – it was a blown coverage – they had him there,” said Scott Zolak, a former NFL QB, during the broadcast of the game on 98.5 in Boston. “Darnold, for whatever reason, throws to a guy into triple coverage, and it’s a moonball that sails into (J.C) Jackson’s stomach.”
Then late in the fourth quarter, Darnold threw a pick in the end zone which was snared by cornerback Jonathan Jones.
“Darnold went there too late and hung the ball,” said Zolak.
This has been going on for three years now, throwing into heavy coverage and delivering the ball late.
Perhaps the QB-friendly offense Mike LaFleur is bringing from San Francisco could help, but even in this system, you need to go through progressions, and according to Steve Young, one of the reasons Kyle Shanahan was down on Jimmy Garoppolo, before he got hurt this season, is he wasn’t doing a good job going through his progressions.
Okay, here is the deal with Darnold. If some team is willing to give up a first-round pick for him, I think the Jets trade him. But if the Jets get low-balled, they will likely keep him, and see if LaFleur can fix him. But even if they keep him, they likely won’t pick up the fifth-year option, and he will be on a short leash. Douglas and Saleh aren’t just going to give him the entire 2021 season regardless of how he plays. That isn’t happening.
This week, Rams coach Sean McVay, who seems to be losing patience with Jared Goff, said there will be competition at the QB position in 2021. In other words, he will have to win the job.
So if the Rams $34 million-a-year QB has to compete for a job, why not Darnold?
So if Darnold stays, this should be an open competition with Darnold, perhaps a draft pick, Mike White and James Morgan.
Based on his play, he hasn’t earned the right to have anything handed to him, regardless of some reporters essentially demanding a commitment right now.
January 22, 2021
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