Whether and when rookie NFL quarterbacks should start is an age-old debate, especially around high first-round draft picks. The answer depends on a team's situation, and in the case of the Jets and Sam Darnold, New York should start the youngster, let veteran Josh McCown back him up and try to trade Teddy Bridgewater.
Darnold's performance in this week's preseason game against the Giants could be influential in the decision, but it should not matter. Jets fans are clamoring for Darnold to be the Week 1 starter, but the noise should not be a factor, either.
New York’s call must be about what gives the team the best chance to win now and build a foundation for future success. Darnold appears to be the answer on both fronts.
Such a situation can be a slippery slope for a general manager and head coach to navigate, especially when they’re coming off consecutive 5-11 seasons, as is the case for GM Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles. But Gang Green showing marked improvement and hope for future success with a rookie QB at the helm would buy time for the football leadership.
My only experience with a rookie first-round QB came early in my Vikings career when we drafted Tommy Kramer. He backed up then-future Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton on a playoff team for two years before he took over as starter. For us, that made sense.
The Jets are not in such a position.
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From a GM's perspective, I understand how two unsuccessful seasons with older journeymen as starters (McCown and Ryan Fitzpatrick) fueled the Jets’ aggressive trade up to third overall in April’s draft. At the time of the trade in March, Maccagnan did not know what quarterback from a touted class would fall to him. But he knew it was time for a bold move to inject a potential franchise quarterback into the mix, and he was content to stay at No. 3, confident he would get an excellent prospect.
When Darnold fell to No. 3, Maccagnan was pleased. Fast-forward to this week, and the Jets GM is weighing in publicly by saying he's "exceptionally impressed" with Darnold, calling the QB "unflappable."
Maccagnan certainly will re-state his opinion in meetings with Bowles, but ultimately, when to start Darnold should be — and apparently will be — the coach's decision.
I always wanted my head coach to make such a call. He should have the best handle on the major factors involved; those are the quarterback's grasp of the offense, his playmaking ability while limiting mistakes and the belief of his coaches and teammates that he can win games when it counts.
Recent reports suggest Darnold's work ethic, performance in the meeting room and execution on the field have been outstanding. Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates praised the QB recently, saying, "He's owned the playbook. We haven't scaled back offensively." Bates spoke of "how easy the game is for him — both mentally and physically."
That's easy to say for a coach who is observing Darnold in camp against New York’s defense and in joint practices last week with Washington. In those practices, Darnold wears the red, do-not-hit jersey, and in preseason games, the starters usually exit the game after a series or two.
The Giants game could give us a better picture of Darnold's progress if the starters play longer, but regardless, the true tests will come in the regular season … assuming Darnold is indeed the No. 1.
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The regular-season schedule provides a clue as to what Bowles will decide. Only one of the Jets’ first six opponents made the playoffs last season (Jaguars, Week 4). Toward the beginning of the year, Bowles and Bates should be able to lean on the running game and defense and hope Darnold makes enough plays while he learns the nuances of regular-season play before the tougher part of the schedule arrives.
Another factor in Darnold's favor: He is much more mobile than McCown. That’s an important factor considering the Jets’ offensive line is dealing with preseason injuries to two starters, right guard Brian Winters and left tackle Kelvin Beachum. That could dictate more scrambling by the QB. A mobile passer like Darnold also opens up the playbook to more bootlegs and roll-outs to escape pressure, but he will need to be smart about knowing when to throw the ball away and when to slide.
As for Bridgewater, two years after his devastating knee injury, he is likely to stay in the pocket more often. Bridgewater also is on a one-year contract, making it obvious he’s not in the Jets’ long-term plans. At age 25, his starting and having success in New York would only muddy the waters and perhaps stunt the growth of Darnold.
With that said, the Jets trading Bridgewater would make sense. Compared to McCown, Bridgewater is more attractive to teams as a former first-round pick and two-year Vikings starter. He is a lot younger and carries a lower salary ($6 million) than that of McCown ($10 million). Maccagnan has said the Jets could keep two or three QBs, indicating he's willing to listen to offers on a QB not named Darnold.
Bridgewater's strong preseason performance thus far proves he has recovered from his injury, and two or more teams reportedly are interested in trading for him, either as a potential backup QB upgrade or to compete for a starting job. A trade from New York in exchange for a third- or fourth-round pick (that could be upgraded based on playing time) would be both a nice coup for the Jets and a boon to Bridgewater's career.
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The key point for the Jets remains. The sooner Darnold starts playing in regular season, the faster he will develop. If New York’s coaches believe Darnold is ready, it's best to start him immediately. McCown, who has said he'll support whatever decision the coaches make, would be one of the best No. 2 QBs in the league. He has performed well in that role plenty of times in his career.
Sure, Darnold will experience growing pains after he’s named starter. But in the final analysis, it's about building that foundation for future trips to the playoffs. The ultimate goal is the Jets' first Super Bowl appearance since their Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath led them to the title 49 years ago.
Jeff Diamond is a former president of the Titans and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He makes speaking appearances to corporate/civic groups and college classes on Negotiation and Sports Business/Sports Management. He is the former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL.
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