The New York Jets were in the running to sign Kirk Cousins instead of taking a quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft. When Cousins chose the Minnesota Vikings, the Jets looked elsewhere.

In the end, New York traded up three spots in the first round to get USC quarterback Sam Darnold. However, what would have happened to Darnold if Cousins chose the Jets? Here are three teams that would have went after Darnold:

Buffalo Bills

Sean McDermott, LeSean McCoy, Bills

Given all of the pre-draft evaluations of the top four rookie quarterbacks, I have a hard time believing that Wyoming's Josh Allen was the first choice for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills front office has failed to find a franchise quarterback since the days of Jim Kelly. Instead, a laundry list of names has flooded the Bills all-time roster at the quarterback position over the past 20 years. Buffalo needed as surefire a draft pick as possible, and Darnold had the cleanest resume of all.

Moreover, the Bills entered this season missing plenty of talent at the wide receiver position. They needed a more polished passer to lead the offense if there was any hope that the Bills could earn a playoff spot for the second straight year.

Meanwhile, fellow rookie Josh Allen wowed scouts with his arm and raw skills. However, he lacked accuracy and experience against high level competition. Darnold made more sense for the Bills if he was available. His athleticism allows him to extend plays, and he’s a natural leader that brings out the best in his teammates. Offensive leadership is something that has been missing from Buffalo Bills for a long time.

Broncos
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Denver Broncos

ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold wrote a solid piece about the Broncos’ pre-draft relationship with Sam Darnold. Denver vetted the young quarterback heavily prior to the draft, and many in the league believed that he was John Elway’s top choice in the draft, according to Legwold. Darnold’s strengths match up well with Broncos’ starting quarterback Case Keenum, so he could have learned under the veteran for a season or two.

There was some thought that Allen would be a good fit for the Broncos prior to the draft, which made sense. Allen played in Laramie, Wyoming, which was two hours north of Denver. He knew the region's climate well. At 6’5, Allen possesses the physical tools to thrive in the harsh Denver climate. Yet the Broncos had their chance to take Allen with the fifth overall pick in the draft and passed.

Denver does need a quarterback of the future. Keenum is serviceable, but they still need a future. I’m convinced that Darnold was their man if the Jets didn’t take him, given how hard the Broncos looked at him. 

Miami Dolphins

DeVante Parker, Dolphins
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The Dolphins were rumored to be interested in a quarterback from the 2018 class, but when push came to shove, they didn’t bite on moving up for Allen or Josh Rosen. But what if Sam Darnold was still there. Much like the Bills, it’s been a long time since the Dolphins have featured a true franchise quarterback.

Miami’s list of quarterbacks since Dan Marino retired reads like a list of mediocrity, including Jay Fiedler, Ryan Tannehill, Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. Each player was serviceable, but not solid enough to lead Miami any deeper than a first round playoff exit.

Enter Darnold, who would have produced in familiar warm weather. The pressure of playing in Miami wouldn’t have bothered Darnold at all. Furthermore, the Dolphins have some talent on the offensive side of the ball to support him.

Most importantly, Darnold would have brought stability to the offense. Tannehill has struggled to stay healthy, Brock Osweiler is Brock Osweiler, and David Fales certainly isn’t the answer. The Dolphins have known this for a long time. It’s hard to believe that they wouldn’t have moved up for Darnold or Baker Mayfield if the cost wasn’t too high.

Conclusion

There were several quarterback needy teams in the 2018 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, for most of them, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets took fate into their own hands. The Browns kept their No. 1 overall pick, and the Jets gave up a solid bounty to move up for the third overall pick. Their decisions forced the Dolphins, Bills, and Broncos to take what was left. Three months into the 2018 season, it’s safe to wonder if any of these franchises regret not making their move for Sam Darnold.