Legendary New York Jets passer Joe Namath has faith in Sam Darnold:
The New York Jets are still banking on Sam Darnold to be their franchise quarterback for the long term. Darnold has struggled in his first two years as an NFL player, failing to throw more than 19 touchdowns.
Then again, Darnold hasn’t had an elite offensive line to throw behind — the pocket crumbled quickly, and he was often on the run trying to make throws in unusual positions. General manager Joe Douglas made it a priority to bolster the line and hopefully give Darnold more time in the pocket. Theoretically, the offense should be improved, and Sam should see a significant improvement in most categories.
Legendary Jets quarterback Namath was on Mike Tirico’s NBCSN show “Lunch Talk Live,” where he broke down Sam Darnold and what his expectations are for the young passer in 2020.
“Sam can play,†Namath told Tirico. “He’s growing, he’s going to improve, he’s going to get better, but like most things in life, it’s a team game. He’ll step up. I believe he’s going to get better, but he needs the teammates also, and they’re improving. Douglas has done a great job bringing in some new players.â€
Most quarterbacks can’t run the show alone like Lamar Jackson. Darnold needs more support from his protection scheme and wide receivers. The drafting of Mekhi Becton and Denzel Mims should aid in that quest, but nothing is solidified just yet. On paper, the team is getting better, but rookies often have developmental hiccups and need time to adapt to the NFL level.
Namath is spot on with his assessment of the third-year passer, who was sacked 33 times in 2019 and 30 times in 2018. He’s often forced into making risky plays and throws, causing turnovers more frequently. The clock is starting to tick for Darnold, who is entering your three in the NFL. He has two years left on his contract and a fifth-year option the New York Jets will likely pick up. If he succeeds in 2020 and has a fantastic season, he could be looking for a contract extension, similar to Jamal Adams.