The New York Jets found their new head coach on Thursday in former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh.
The Jets fired Adam Gase after a 2-14 season in 2020 that followed a 7-9 year in 2019. Saleh’s been in the league since 2005 and he completely revamped the 49ers defense over the past four years. Saleh led the defensive unit that brought San Francisco to the Super Bowl a year ago and despite having a slew of major injuries this year, his unit still finished No. 5 overall in yards allowed per game.
Saleh is expected to bring his former 49ers colleague Mike LaFleur with him as the team’s offensive coordinator. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it would be surprising if the coaching duo doesn’t keep Sam Darnold in place as the starter for the 2021 season.
Schefter says he’d be surprised if Sam Darnold is not the Week 1 starter for the Jets in 2021. Which is… surprising. https://t.co/0PsWvrOSES
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) January 15, 2021
Schefter believes the Jets will entertain offers for the No. 2 pick, while looking for an offensive lineman or complimentary piece to build around Darnold. Initially, many believed the Jets would take Ohio State’s Justin Fields or one of the top prospects at quarterback with the No. 2 pick.
The New England Patriots sit at the No. 15 overall pick and they desperately need a quarterback for the future. With Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence sitting as nearly a surefire No. 1 pick, this opens up the window of opportunity for New England to snag Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance or Alabama’s Mac Jones.
There are seven potential teams who could draft quarterbacks before the Patriots have an opportunity, but it still opens a higher possibility for one to fall to No. 15.
The Patriots have a ton of huge decisions to make this offseason, but getting a franchise quarterback in the draft could help gain clarity in that process.
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