The Jets have some big decisions to make this offseason, and plenty of cap space to make significant upgrades in the free agent market. But a lot of their upcoming spring depends on what exactly they plan to do with Sam Darnold.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo thinks New York already has its mind made up, and that Darnold is on his way out the door.
Garafolo joined Moose & Maggie on Tuesday to discuss Darnold and the Jets, and expressed the belief that after general manager Joe Douglas’ press conference last week, the writing is on the wall that the Sam Darnold experiment is over in East Rutherford.
“I gave Sam Darnold a chance at the beginning when [Robert] Saleh got hired,” Garafolo said. “I thought ‘Darnold has a shot to stick around.’ The moment Joe Douglas said he’s fielding calls, I said ‘See you later Sammy.’”
So, if Darnold is indeed heading out after a disappointing three years in New York, who takes the place of the former No. 3 overall pick? Garafolo believes it will come from the Jets’ No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft.
“It tells me their evaluation of Zach Wilson tells them that this kid is a stud,” Garafolo said of the BYU quarterback expected to fall off the board shortly after Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, the expected No. 1 pick. “Otherwise, you’re falling back on Darnold.”
The Jets have said that no firm decision on Darnold’s future has been made, and many wonder if Darnold has been able to get a fair assessment of his ability due to untimely injuries, illnesses and the lack of weapons around him. But Garafolo believes the franchise is ready to move on and begin a new era with a different head coach and a different quarterback.
“I think he’s gone,” Garafolo said. “We’ll see what kind of compensation they can get, whether they want to wait until they draft Wilson and then unload him, but to me, that messaging at that press conference was clear.”
Of course, plans could change should Deshaun Watson become available via trade. The Jets may love Wilson, but Watson is already an established superstar who wants out of Houston, and New York would be one of the teams best suited to make a blockbuster deal. The only question is, how long would the Jets wait to see if Watson indeed lands on the trading block?
“It’s going to lead up all the way to the draft,” Garafolo said of the Watson sweepstakes. “You don’t have to do anything until you make that pick at two. That’s your patience. That’s how long you’re willing to wait and can wait until you need to make a decision for the future of your franchise.”
Listen to Garafolo's full interview with Moose & Maggie below!
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