The New York Jets are inching toward the season opener with rookie quarterback Sam Darnold making quite the impression. New York has three legitimate starters at the position with Darnold competing with the likes of veterans Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater.
With two preseason games in the books for these quarterbacks, Darnold may have become the favorite to land the starting job. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, Darnold may already have the job wrapped up.
Darnold got the bulk of the reps. Again. Seems obvious he will start this week. Sense I get is that, barring regression against the Giants, he’s trending toward Wk 1 starting job. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 19, 2018
Darnold has earned high praises from the coaching staff, teammates, and his peers around the league. All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman was one of the latest to show support for the rookie quarterback claiming the USC product doesn't make mistakes that are common with first-year players in the NFL.
The 21-year-old gunslinger came out firing on all cylinders during his preseason debut against the Atlanta Falcons. Darnold finished with 96 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He created a lot of buzz for his poise in that game convincing many that it was an obvious choice to make him the starter Week 1.
However, Darnold's second preseason game against the Washington Redskins was a little shaky in comparison. The former Trojan star splits snaps with Bridgewater and in which he completed eight of 11 passes, but finished with only 62 yards and an interception.
Although Darnold has made an impression and is getting a lot of reps, there's still some time for McCown and Bridgewater to gain some ground, especially if the rookie struggles in the remaining preseason games. Darnold may have the edge right now, but that can quickly change in the coming weeks.
Follow Us
Subscribe