When New York Jets traded up to take Sam Darnold with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the organization believed they had their quarterback of the future. Fast forward three years and Darnold’s time at MetLife Stadium seem to be over.
The Jets are currently the only winless team in the NFL and will almost certainly have the first overall pick in next year’s draft. This will give them an opportunity to draft Clemson’s standout signal-caller Trevor Lawrence in which case Darnold would have to move on.
Darnold himself is well aware of this possibility but still remains hopeful that he’ll be with the franchise for years to come.
“I love it here,” Darnold told reporters earlier this week. “I love the people here. I love living here. I’ve always said it, that I want to be a Jet for life. But again, that decision isn’t up to me.”
Coming out of USC in 2017, Sam Darnold was widely considered as one of the best QBs in his class and a can’t-miss prospect. However, he ended up struggling for the better part of his time in the NFL.
Some of that wasn’t entirely up to him, as the Jets have been a synonym for a dysfunctional franchise in recent years. Inability to field a competent offensive line and constant personnel changes probably influenced some of Darnold’s poor outings.
But Darnold also didn’t show the ability to deal with adversity or lift his teammates in a way a starting quarterback should. The 23-year-old youngster has also been unspectacular on the field, with his production being especially poor in 2020.
In the nine games he played this season, Darnold completed only 58.4 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,560 yards and just five touchdowns. He also had nine interceptions.
Only time will tell whether his wish to stay with the franchise forever will come to fruition.
