The New York Jets would prefer if rookie first-round pick Sam Darnold lights it up in training camp and wins the starting job, but we could instead see a triumphant comeback from Teddy Bridgewater when the 2018 season gets underway.
For the first time in two years, Bridgewater was a full participant in OTAs on Tuesday. Reports indicated that he looked sharp, while Sam Darnold threw several incomplete passes and apparently did not have a great showing.
There’s a long, long way to go, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that Jets head coach Todd Bowles would be perfectly content starting Bridgewater in Week 1 if the former first-round pick continues to play well.
Make no mistake: My understanding is that Todd Bowles won’t hesitate to start Bridgewater over McCown in the season opener A) if the former Vikings starter looks great in the preseason and B) Darnold clearly isn’t ready.
Truth be told, the Jets want Darnold to show that he’s capable of handling the load this summer so that he can be under center in Week 1, but they won’t force the issue. (Josh) McCown is the safety net Week 1 starter if Bridgewater and Darnold underperform in the preseason, according to sources.
In other words, this is a two-horse race. McCown played well last season and provided the Jets with some stability, but they want to turn to page. Christian Hackenberg was finally traded on Tuesday, so he’s no longer in the picture.
Bridgewater, who suffered a devastating knee injury before the 2016 season, once looked like one of the most promising young quarterbacks in football. He’s still just 25, and Mehta noted that he practiced on Tuesday “without a trace of a limp.” This is a guy who was the No. 32 overall pick in 2014 and played well for the Minnesota Vikings, so it’s not as if he’s some journeyman who has reached his ceiling.
We have already heard positive reports about Darnold’s chances to win the starting job, but a lot can change over the summer. If Bridgewater looks healthy and Darnold could benefit from spending some time on the bench, the Jets would not be in the worst situation.
