Sam Darnold could be playing his final games for the New York Jets to end the season as the team is positioned to have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. If Darnold is to be made available via trade, he has ‘plenty of takers' in the league, per an NFL executive.
“Nobody thinks he’s a lost cause, if that’s what you’re asking,” said one NFL executive, via SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. “If they decide to trade him, they’ll find plenty of takers. Getting a franchise quarterback with experience, where you’re not starting from scratch, still on his rookie deal? There’s a ton of value in that.”
Darnold hasn't developed as many thought he would when the Jets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, his struggles aren't completely on him as he's had to work with a limited assortment of weapons and Adam Gase as his head coach.
In his first two seasons, Darnold combined for 36 touchdowns and 28 interceptions for the Jets. And in six games of action this season, the USC product has just three touchdowns to six interceptions.
With the Jets being the lone winless team in the NFL, they are set up to select a new franchise quarterback in next year's draft. Provided that, there have been ongoing rumors that New York could move on from Darnold to make room for a new signal-caller.
Despite having just brief glimpses of his talent in New York, Darnold is only 23 years old and can be under a team's control through the 2022 season — if you count his fifth-year option. Provided all of that, executives believe Darnold would be a wanted commodity if the Jets put him on the trading block.
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