The New York Jets have the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL draft, and a big decision to make about whether to keep quarterback Sam Darnold, three years after drafting him with the No. 3 pick in 2018. Friday's Dolphins – 49ers trade might shed new light on what New York intends to do.
The Jets could stick with Darnold for the fourth season of his rookie contract or trade the 23-year old. New York general manager Joe Douglas will also have to decide either to draft his successor, select another player, or trade down.
We may have gotten a fresh sense of the Jets' plans on Friday. As ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, their NFC East-rival, the Miami Dolphins, traded the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft to the San Francisco 49ers for an eye-opening haul — including the No. 12 pick and first-rounders in 2022 and 2023 and another third-rounder (Miami then sent the No. 12 pick and other compensation to the Philadelphia Eagles, netting the no. 6 pick.)
The 49ers' vault up the board indicates a desire to select a QB, possibly North Dakota State's Trey Lance or Alabama's Mac Jones. Their aggressiveness also implies that the Jets may have received a similar offer, but opted to stay in their spot at No. 2.
I don’t think you do a deal like this unless it’s for a QB.
Also, the 49ers drafting a QB means they are not in the market for Sam Darnold.
So … Broncos? https://t.co/jfUts22DtS
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 26, 2021
As SNY's Ralph Vacchiano and others pointed out, if the Jets were committed to Darnold or apprehensive about drafting a QB, it's hard to believe they would reject a package of that caliber from San Francisco.
“You have to believe that with all the connections between the 49ers' and the Jets' coaching staffs… that the 49ers at least placed a call to the Jets, or got a feel for what they intended to do,” Vacchiano said.
The Jets hired former San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to replace Adam Gase as head coach.
Today brought some of the strongest indications yet that the Jets are ready to move on from Sam Darnold and draft BYU QB Zach Wilson at No. 2. 👇
pic.twitter.com/eyQmJ04feG— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) March 26, 2021
Instead, the possibility of BYU's Zach Wilson becoming the next great hope for the Jets looks all the more likely.
Jets could pick Zach Wilson second overall after taking Sam Darnold with the third pick in 2018 Draft. If that happens, they would become the first team in the Common Draft Era, since 1967, to select two QBs in the top three overall picks in a four-year span, per @EpKap.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2021
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