[jwplayer xrhiHVEH]
When Sam Darnold looks over at the Cardinals’ sideline on Sunday, he will see one of the NFL’s best wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins. Then the injured Jets quarterback will look over at his own wideouts and see a cluster of no-name pass-catchers.
Three years into Darnold’s career, the Jets have failed to get him the weapon he needs in order to be successful. The Cardinals, meanwhile, traded for Hopkins this past offseason to help Kyler Murray. Amazingly, the price for Hopkins wasn’t too steep, as Arizona gave up a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and RB David Johnson.
New York, meanwhile, let Darnold’s favorite target, Robby Anderson, walk in free agency and sign with the Carolina Panthers. In response, the Jets signed Breshad Perriman for $4 million less than what Anderson got from the Panthers. Anderson has put up elite numbers through four games with 28 catches for 377 yards and a touchdown. Perriman, meanwhile, has five catches for 29 yards and has only played in two games this season due to injury.
Joe Douglas drafted only one wide receiver in Baylor’s Denzel Mims this past April. He has yet to step foot on the field this season, as he’s dealt with injuries to both hamstrings. Douglas used a fourth-round pick on Jame Morgan, a quarterback out of FIU who has no chance of seeing the field in 2020, barring multiple injuries to the other Jets quarterbacks. That pick could’ve easily been used to take another wide receiver.
Douglas isn’t the only one to blame, though. His predecessor, Mike Maccagnan, never picked a wide receiver in the draft after selecting Darnold in 2018. Maccagnan only picked three skill position players in the 2018 and 2019 drafts, including Chris Herndon, Trevon Wesco and Trenton Cannon. Herndon is becoming invisible in the Jets’ offense, while Wesco is primarily a blocking tight end. Cannon is no longer with the Jets.
Looking at some of the other young quarterbacks in the league, it’s hard to argue any of them have a worst supporting cast than Darnold. Murray has Hopkins, Josh Allen has Stefon Diggs, Patrick Mahomes has Tyreek Hill and Baker Mayfield has Odell Beckham Jr. And those are just those quarterback’s No. 1 receivers. Nevermind the depth they have to work with.
So while Darnold has not lived up to expectations in two-plus years as a starting quarterback, to put all the blame on him is unfair. Not many quarterbacks could do well with what the Jets have for offensive weapons. Throw in a poor offensive line and a head coach that has hindered Darnold’s development, and it’s easy to see why the gunslinger has not succeeded, his own mistakes — and there’s been plenty — notwithstanding.
When Darnold does see Murray connect with Hopkins on Sunday, he should be jealous because the Cardinals have done right by their franchise quarterback. They’ve supplied him with am elite wide receiver and a talented cast, while Darnold doesn’t even know who he’ll be throwing the ball to each week.