It won’t be until Week 2 when Sam Darnold plays an NFL game not involving the New York Jets.
With his new team, Carolina, set to host Gang Green next Sunday, Darnold doesn’t have to wait long for a revenge game. His career after being the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 wasn’t what the Jets, or their fans, hoped for – he was 13-25 in 38 of 48 possible games, and completed less than 60 percent of his passes with a nearly 1:1 TD-to-INT ratio – but he’s hoping for a fresh start with the Panthers.
And Jets safety Marcus Maye, now one of the elder statesmen on the team, knows exactly what his former quarterback is capable of.
“We know he can make all the throws. His arm talent is very high, and he does well with his feet and things like that,” Maye said via Zoom on Thursday. “We just have to play sound, give him different looks, pressure the pocket, not let him get comfortable, and get physical outside with those guys and things like that."
Darnold also has a familiar face in his offense, that being receiver Robby Anderson, who blossomed in Carolina last year. The ex-Jet blossomed in the offense of his former college coach at Temple, Matt Rhule, making 95 grabs for 1,096 yards and three touchdowns last season – the reception and yardage totals well above his previous career highs with Gang Green.
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That was with Teddy Bridgewater and others (including another ex-Owl in P.J. Walker), and now, with a quarterback in Darnold he is also familiar with, he could be a huge weapon in the Panthers’ offense – and one Maye is looking forward to trying to stop.
“I’m excited. We all know Robby can fly, and he’s gonna look to take the top off, so you just gotta be prepared for wherever he’s at, wherever he’s lined up,” Maye said. “He can line up in the slot, out wide, at No. 3, they do a lot of different things, move him around, so we just gotta know where he is at all times.”
Only 10 more days for Maye and the Jets to temper that excitement.
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