The New York Jets may have played themselves out of the No. 1 overall pick, which has brought up the discussion on what they should do with Sam Darnold. If the Jets do decide to replace Darnold still, Mike Tannenbaum — a former NFL executive — believes New York could pursue Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston.
“I wouldn’t discount looking at someone like [Las Vegas’] Marcus Mariota or [New Orleans’] Jameis Winston and then looking at the draft, as well,” Tannenbaum said, via Peter Botte of the New York Post. “The problem is you’re not going to get nearly the draft capital you would in prior years.
During Week 15, the Jets did the impossible by winning their first game of the season, taking down the Los Angeles Rams on the road. While the players were excited to get their first win of the season, there was disappointment in the fact that New York may very well be losing the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft, putting them out of contention for Trevor Lawrence.
As a result, the Jets could now reportedly retain Darnold, giving him another year to prove he can be the franchise quarterback. Or New York could elect to part ways with Darnold still and instead target a veteran quarterback to be somewhat of a bridge option until they find their long-term starter.
Even if the Jets stick with Darnold and trade out of the No. 2 overall spot, Tannenbaum doesn't believe they'll get the return they expect.
“I think those evaluations will be all over the place, so while you may be able to trade out of the second pick if you want to keep Sam Darnold, you’re not going to get this massive haul of picks.”
Regardless of who the head coach is next season, the major decision will be whether or not Darnold returns. In the event that New York parts ways with their former first-round pick, then Mariota and Winston are names that could be candidates to lead the offense of the Jets in 2021.
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