Season two is in the books for the New York Jets with Sam Darnold under center. It was another campaign full of losses and unsure feelings about their head coach as Adam Gase did a terrible job. In his first year with the Jets, he seemed to make headlines for the wrong reasons.
Darnold did not have as strong of a season as some expected. He missed time with mono and while that isn't necessarily his fault, his play was inconsistent when he was on the field. He finished with 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and completed just 61.9% of his passes.
This Jets team had some unwarranted expectations coming into the season. Those expectations will only enhance in Darnold's third year. There are some questions surrounding him heading into the offseason.
3. Can Darnold take the next step?
It takes time to make a fair judgment on a young quarterback. Sam Darnold showed signs in his first season but he still turned the ball over at a high rate. In year two, his progression was briefly halted thanks to mono. When he returned to the field, he still showed some signs of growing pains.
It is time for Darnold to take that next step into being a solid NFL quarterback. It's not easy to thrive on a team like the Jets and he will need to be able to overcome that. While Darnold has the personality for New York and handles the media well, his play on the field must match his off the field personality.
2. Will consistent play come in year three?
Sam Darnold has been inconsistent since he entered the league. He missed three games early in the season and returned with a strong game against the Dallas Cowboys. The very next week, he was picked off four times against New England.
This went on for the entire 2019 season. Darnold threw four touchdowns in Washington but led the Jets to just six points against a winless Bengals team. The Jets have been a poor team with him under center and it is because of his inconsistency. He will need to put in strong performances week in and week out for the Jets to turn the corner.
1. Is Darnold a franchise quarterback?
This has been the question surrounding Sam Darnold since the Jets selected him third overall. Through two years, he has not done enough to answer that question.
Darnold has played 13 games in each of his first two seasons and has 36 touchdowns and 28 interceptions so far in his career. The Jets have yet to have a strong season with him under center. That is not all on the quarterback but it is time for him to prove to New York that they did not make a mistake with the third pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
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