The next seven weeks will go a long way in determining where Sam Darnold plays football in 2021.
That is a sentence not many Jets fans would have expected to read so soon after New York selected Darnold third overall in the 2018 NFL draft. Armed with an impressive skill set and a sky-high ceiling, Darnold was supposed to be the one. Instead, he has struggled to the point where his future in the Big Apple is in serious jeopardy.
Due in part to Darnold’s inconsistent play and inability to pioneer the Jets to scoring drives, New York is inching closer to securing the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft and, in all likelihood, Trevor Lawrence. Moving on from a young quarterback after only three seasons is not common practice in the NFL, but Darnold’s shortcomings combined with Lawrence’s upside would make it a no-brainer decision for Joe Douglas and New York’s brass.
Darnold will never admit it, but Lawrence’s footsteps are growing louder with each loss and porous performance. He knows the last seven games of 2020 are about more than ending the year on a high note and establishing momentum entering next season.
They are about saving his job.
That kind of immense pressure is a lot for any player to handle, especially a 23-year-old quarterback still getting his feet wet in the professional ranks. Darnold cannot afford to dwell on the negative, though, as a prime opportunity is knocking in the second half of 2020.
It took two and a half months, but the Jets’ wide receiver room is finally fully intact. Old reliable Jamison Crowder is healthy again, as is Breshad Perriman, who showcased his game-breaking speed against the Patriots last Monday. Denzel Mims is also coming into his own, steadily working his way into a prominent role in New York’s passing attack.
Many have been unwilling to pin the Jets’ offensive ineptitude solely on Darnold because of his underwhelming supporting cast. Now, Darnold finally has three talented receivers to work with — and the chance to show what he can do when he has capable wideouts at his disposal.
If Darnold makes the most of the second half of 2020 and leads the Jets to some wins down the stretch, he will be back donning the green and white in 2021. New York will be out of Lawrence’s range and the focus will shift back to building around Darnold, not building toward his departure.
Douglas has said he thinks Darnold is the Jets’ quarterback of the future. This is his last chance to prove that to be true. The next seven weeks will be arguably the most pressure-filled time of Darnold’s career, but the pieces are in place for him to succeed.
He just has to seize the opportunity.