Joe Namath is no stranger to offering his thoughts on the state of the Jets, let alone the quarterback position.
Namath has often come to the defense of Sam Darnold, but he’s changed his opinion of the 23-year-old quarterback. Namath believed Darnold would step up entering the 2020 season but, just a month ago, he changed his tune, claiming that Darnold isn’t a “gifted passer.”
Now Namath believes that Darnold will be in the NFL for a long time. He just might not be with the Jets.
And, like many, Namath is a big fan of disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Namath believes there’s an evident talent gap between Darnold and Watson but wouldn’t go as far as to say that he would make a blockbuster deal for the latter. Instead, he deferred to Joe Douglas and New York’s front office.
“He looks sensational,” Namath said of Waston during an appearance on ESPN NY’s DiPietro, Canty & Rothenberg. “He’s further along than most of the quarterbacks, including Sam, no doubt about it. Those guys are going to make the decisions in that [front] office up there, and I hope they make the right decision. I want to see us win. I want to see us start being happy after the game and happy during the game.”
Although Watson would be a premium addition under center, Namath also brought up a good point: the Jets having multiple needs other than quarterback. They’re going to need some draft capital to fix those issues.
“I don’t know what the Jets are planning to do with him,” Namath said of Darnold. “We need help in a lot of places. Sam has been playing on a team that was pressing to try to get that victory and try to get it done. It remains to be seen what Joe Douglas feels what he can do with him. Sam’s going to be around. I believe he’s going to be around for 15 years.”
Namath doesn’t seem to be opposed to running it back with Darnold, who he suspects can be a long-term starter in this league. It’s just not his decision to make.