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Multiple Teams Interested in New York Jets' Sam Darnold

Darnold is entering his fourth season in the NFL as quarterback-needy teams around the league have inquired about his availability.

Austin Grad

The New York Jets have received multiple calls from teams interested in trading for quarterback Sam Darnold, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter said that the Jets didn't confirm or deny that they have received calls on Darnold when reached out for a comment, but cited multiple sources around the NFL confirmed the news. The Jets still have plenty of uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position with no plan in place just yet.

After hiring Robert Saleh as the team’s new head coach, the Jets' next task on their offseason to-do list may involve Darnold’s future and the quarterback position. While Saleh has praised Darnold’s ability and skillset since coming to New York in January, he has repeatedly stated that the team is not committing to the former USC quarterback long-term.

General manager Joe Douglas has taken a similar approach, as he believes Darnold has a “bright future” ahead in the NFL. Whether it be with the Jets or another team, Douglas didn't draft the No.3 pick out of USC, thus he has no ties to the 23-year-old. 

Darnold’s third season with the Jets did not impress. In the 12 games he started, the California native finished with a completion percentage of 57.6% to go along with 2,208 passing yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He missed four games in 2020 due to a right shoulder injury, and now has missed 10 games in his young career.

Douglas didn't place the blame entirely on Sam, citing a few factors that contributed to his subpar year. “I think Sam faced a lot of obstacles this year, as did everybody,” Douglas said, per SNY's Ralph Vacchiano back in early January. 

“Frankly we had quite a few injuries on the offensive line and at wide receiver. It was hard for our offense to build the chemistry to sustain success.”

Darnold missed four games in 2020 due to a right shoulder injury, and has now missed 10 games in his young career. The Jets were 2-10 in the games Darnold started in, with both wins coming late in the season. 

With the back-to-back victories, New York fell out of the running for the first overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft. This will prevent them from being able to select QB Trevor Lawrence. If the Jets didn't fall to the 2nd overall pick, the team would've drafted the 6-foot-6 Clemson prospect. Instead, the Jets will need to re-prioritize their roster and re-build strategy for the future.

News of potential Darnold suitors comes as trade talks at the QB position have picked up around the league. With quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans and Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles being recently discussed in possible trades, Darnold's name may be next.

According to Schefter, the teams that called Detroit about Matthew Stafford before he was traded to the LA Rams for Jared Goff include Washington, Indianapolis, Carolina, San Francisco and Chicago, as they could all be suitors for Darnold if the Jets trade him.

The Jets have a huge decision on their hands as they begin a new era. Douglas will be consulting with Saleh on all personnel-related decisions, but the GM will ultimately have the final say on whether the team will move on from Darnold at QB or not.

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Austin Grad
AUSTIN GRAD

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