New York Jets: Sam Darnold is impressive, will become starter

Sam Darnold of the New York Jets (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Sam Darnold of the New York Jets (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The New York Jets have multiple options when deciding who will be their quarterback. Rookie Sam  Darnold will take the starting job from Josh  McCown.

The New York Jets started minicamp on Tuesday and rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has impressed them so far.

The “really impressed,” Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said this about Darnold to Darryl Slater of NJ.com:

"“He came in at rookie camp [in early May] and he hasn’t turned back. He’s really into the meetings, really into the playbook. He has a very serious demeanor. Obviously, he’s a rookie, and he’s going to make some mistakes. But he doesn’t make them twice. Really excited about having him as a New York Jet.”"

During practice, Darnold missed some open receivers, but then started completing passes.

“He made some throws,” Jets coach Todd Bowles told Ethan Sears of the New York Post. “Shorts and T-shirt, you can’t tell whether the ball would’ve been broken up or he’d been sacked or not, but his learning is outstanding.”

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Jets quarterback, Josh McCown, believes that Darnold is getting better every day.

“Every day I feel like he goes out and gets better,” McCown said. “I think for all of us, but really for young players, you’re discovering something new every time you step on the field.”

The Jets have three quarterbacks competing for the starting job, McCown, Darnold, and former Minnesota Vikings starter, Teddy Bridgewater. The question is who will be the starter? Darnold and Bridgewater have been impressive, but Bates said that Darnold would be the starter if he can handle it.

“Are we giving him bits and pieces of the offense or are we throwing everything at him? We’re throwing everything at him,”

Bates also went on to tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News:

“If he can handle it, if he can prove that he’s the starter, then that will take place when the time comes.”

But what about McCown? McCown is the Jets starter and the number one quarterback on the depth chart.

In addition, McCown had the best season of his career last year as he threw for 2,926 yards and 18 touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 94.5.

That, in theory, should make McCown that starter. However, it appears that Darnold will be the starter unless he doesn’t prove that he should be the starter.

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I predict that Darnold will be the Jets starter. If he doesn’t win the job, then McCown will be the starter.