Sam Darnold : Will he make it to a 2nd season here?

[kungfoodude]

21 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Honestly, right now I think Darnold will be our QB2 next season if things don't change. Not sure anyone can be a decent QB1 with this offensive line being this, well, offensive. He could actually make a case for staying as the QB1, but it will require him to pursue a true gunslinger QB persona like he did at the end of the fourth quarter last week against the Vikings. If Darnold can bring that guy out on a regular basis, he's got a shot at QB1 here or being traded to be one somewhere else.

If, however, he succumbs to the pressure behind a porous offensive line and receivers with dropsies and poor work ethics, no outlet and Ian Thomas as the featured TE, then it's going to be a rough ride to the bench. And he's been working with an OC that seems to be unable to really adjust for those deficiencies around him.

And honestly, as a QB2 he's probably not a bad choice, just a really expensive one for next year. As a QB2 he could come off the bench and win a game or two. 

Still, there's the other line of thinking that you have to build a QB, they don't come out of college completely ready all the time. Darnold had no development during his time with the Jets to speak of. Here, it is his first year in the system, his third different system in four years of play. A case can certainly be made that there should be a year over year improvement if he stays and we stick with him. It could be next year, it could be later this year. 

The problem is the dilemma Darnold creates for himself. He has stretches of competence, he has a few moments of brilliance (that 96-yard drive to push it to overtime), he has some stretches of questionable play, and a few moments of just jaw-dropping bad decision making. He has such a mixed bag of results that it's really hard to look down the road and see who he will become or if he's already hit that peak.

It's going to be tough for us to decide as fans. We don't hear the play calls, we don't have edge rushers bearing down on us, we aren't facing Pro-Bowl DBs. We should know by the end of the season, though. I hope.

I just don't think he is capable of fixing his issue with processing. Typically a rookie would struggle with that and steadily improve over a season or two(or three sometimes). He isn't any better than he was in his rookie year, maybe even worse.

Normally the guys that struggle with that aren't in the league very long. I think his best bet is to spend an extended period of time as a journeyman backup QB in the NFL. If he can hack that, maybe it will eventually just start to click enough for him to a solid player in a few years. 

It's obvious field time isn't improving him at all and especially with the OL situation we have. That is something even a competent and capable veteran would have issues with. He isn't either of those so it's almost an impossible task.

It's tough to watch as a fan, that is for sure. I suspected he would fail here under these conditions but it's been worse than I thought. It sucks because he is so talented and he seems like a nice guy.

Edited October 20, 2021 by kungfoodude

[Khyber53]

8 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I just don't think he is capable of fixing his issue with processing. Typically a rookie would struggle with that and steadily improve over a season or two(or three sometimes). He isn't any better than he was in his rookie year, maybe even worse.

Normally the guys that struggle with that aren't in the league very long. I think his best bet is to spend an extended period of time as a journeyman backup QB in the NFL. If he can hack that, maybe it will eventually just start to click enough for him to a solid player in a few years. 

It's obvious field time isn't improving him at all and especially with the OL situation we have. That is something even a competent and capable veteran would have issues with. He isn't either of those so it's almost an impossible task.

It's tough to watch as a fan, that is for sure. I suspected he would fail here under these conditions but it's been worse than I thought. It sucks because he is so talented and he seems like a nice guy.

Right now, the sample size just isn't big enough or without enough outside factors. If we'd have judged him based on our first three games, he's a lifetime starter here. After the last three, he's a bum. What do you do? The truth is probably somewhere in between.

But, we have a long season ahead of us and since there just aren't any skilled journeyman QBs out there that still have the arms to be competitive, we're going to have to ride out the season and see what happens. Me, I think Darnold's a young kid and he's played like one up until that last bit against the Vikings. That last series he played like a man who is supposed to be here and was able to dictate the game to the opposing team. If Darnold can become that man he found, then things are going to get really good around here. If that was just a one-time deal and he reverts to being the passive participant he's been since his second year with the Jets, then it's going to be tough on him, the team and us fans.

Eleven more games to go. Sure hope we're cheering our hearts out for the guy by the end of it.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Khyber53

[hepcat]

Sam will be here next season one way or another, but how many games he starts depends entirely on how well he does the rest of the season and what QBs are available in FA and the draft in the offseason. 

[CPF4LIFE]

12 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I think he'll be here playing wet nurse to a 1st round rookie QB. I don't see Tepper letting them go for another second tier veteran QB and I don't see any potentially available first tier veteran QB opting to come here.

Staff already losing privileges....not a good sign for them.

[CRA]

2 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Right now, the sample size just isn't big enough or without enough outside factors.  

It's Teddy redux. 

He had an entire football lifetime that showed he was a checkdown QB.  Yet people kept up this mantra that we didn't really know what he was. 

I mean, Sam is literally the same dude he has always been since he started playing QB.  In NY and before.  Poor ball security, bone head decisions, poor ball placement, hesitantion and jitters that routinely pop out.  That's just what he is. 

and yes, plays you like? The big run in the 4th q? A big throw here? Sam always did that too.  That all existed in NY and USC too.   We aren't getting a glimmer of something new.

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Right now, the sample size just isn't big enough or without enough outside factors. If we'd have judged him based on our first three games, he's a lifetime starter here. After the last three, he's a bum. What do you do? The truth is probably somewhere in between.

But, we have a long season ahead of us and since there just aren't any skilled journeyman QBs out there that still have the arms to be competitive, we're going to have to ride out the season and see what happens. Me, I think Darnold's a young kid and he's played like one up until that last bit against the Vikings. That last series he played like a man who is supposed to be here and was able to dictate the game to the opposing team. If Darnold can become that man he found, then things are going to get really good around here. If that was just a one-time deal and he reverts to being the passive participant he's been since his second year with the Jets, then it's going to be tough on him, the team and us fans.

Eleven more games to go. Sure hope we're cheering our hearts out for the guy by the end of it.

He was still displaying issues processing in the first three games but they didn't hurt us because the offense was much more in sync and our defense was able to dominate poor offensive opponents. 

Plus, I think we are seeing how incredibly reliant we are on CMC being healthy for this offense to work at all. Also a very bad sign.

Darnold has always been a Jekyll and Hyde player, he was in NY too. I am quite sure that is why Snow pointed him out to the staff. He does have fleeting moments of great play. But, like many other players that don't make it, he isn't able to do it consistently enough. 

He is pretty much who I thought he was and his stats are basically the same they have been his entire career. I am sure he is gonna have a handful of good games in these last 11 and then be the sole reason for a few losses, as well. It's just who he is.

It is what it is. I will be happy to be proven wrong but I can't see a way out of the problem he has. It isn't mechanics breaking down, it isn't only struggling with pressure, it is that he just cannot process the information in front of him quickly enough to be an effective NFL starter. 

[kungfoodude]

6 minutes ago, CRA said:

It's Teddy redux. 

He had an entire football lifetime that showed he was a checkdown QB.  Yet people kept up this mantra that we didn't really know what he was. 

I mean, Sam is literally the same dude he has always been since he started playing QB.  In NY and before.  Poor ball security, bone head decisions, poor ball placement, hesitantion and jitters that routinely pop out.  That's just what he is. 

and yes, plays you like? The big run in the 4th q? A big throw here? Sam always did that too.  That all existed in NY and USC too.   We aren't getting a glimmer of something new.

Yeah and much like the few Slye fanboys that thought he could iron out his yips and mental issues, sometimes those are the hardest things to get past as a professional athlete. Some people have it and some just simply do not.

[Catsfan69]

12 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I think he'll be here playing wet nurse to a 1st round rookie QB. I don't see Tepper letting them go for another second tier veteran QB and I don't see any potentially available first tier veteran QB opting to come here.

I wouldn't mind Minshew coming in to compete.

[kungfoodude]

3 minutes ago, Catsfan69 said:

I wouldn't mind Minshew coming in to compete.

I don't think the team that traded for him would be eager to give him up. Perhaps when his rookie deal is up after 2022 but having a capable backup that isn't even getting $1 mil is not something I would ever give up. I was genuinely stunned what they were able to get him for in a trade.

[Jackie Lee]

 

[OneBadCat]

If he can continue with how he played that last drive and roll with it then yes. 

[neverlosethefeeling]

Someone inform me. Is there anything we can do with his contract since we picked up the 5th year option? We’re on the hook for all of that, right? So our only options are keep him on the roster or eat a ton of dead cap? 

[MVPccaffrey]

yes but only because there's no realistic free agent, trade, or draft options for us

[mrcompletely11]

9 minutes ago, MVPccaffrey said:

yes but only because there's no realistic free agent, trade, or draft options for us

Yep.  There is no viable plan B.   I think some of the shine will come off of fit tremendously if Darnold doesn't get his poo together.