The New York Jets brought back Josh McCown knowing all along that they would be drafting a quarterback, but it sounds like they consider the veteran an insurance policy more than anything.
Manish Mehtha of the New York Daily News reports that people within the Jets organization believe Darnold has a legitimate chance to win the Week 1 starting QB job, regardless of the way general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles have tried to keep expectations low. And even if Darnold doesn’t start in Week 1, Mehta is convinced he will get a shot at some point in 2018.
Real talk: The Jets are borderline giddy – and relieved — that they might have finally found the right guy. Some people in the building still haven’t wrapped their heads around how Darnold fell to No. 3.
Regardless, this won’t be a redshirt year for the former USC star whether or not he takes the first snap against the Lions. Darnold absolutely will take over at some point in 2018.
Mehta also says the best way to describe any QB competition with the Jets this summer would be “Sam Darnold vs. Sam Darnold.”
The Jets obviously don’t want to risk stunting Darnold’s growth, but the former USC star doesn’t have a whole lot to compete against. No one really knows what to expect from Teddy Bridgewater, and it’s possible the former first-round pick won’t even be with the team much longer.
Unlike in Cleveland, where Hue Jackson has said Tyrod Taylor is going to be the Browns’ Week 1 starter, it sounds like the Jets would have no problem beginning the 2018 season with a rookie under center.
