Mark Sanchez explains why Jets need to trade Sam Darnold

The New York Jets have admitted they are willing to listen to trade offers for Sam Darnold, but Mark Sanchez believes they should be actively shopping the quarterback. The way he sees it, there is no way Darnold can play for the Jets again in 2021.

During an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up!” Friday morning, Sanchez predicted that the situation in New York could get ugly for Darnold. The former Jets quarterback believes fans will turn on Darnold next season at the first sign of trouble.

“They gotta do something fast to get him out of there,” Sanchez said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “As soon as he goes 3-and-out two times this year, his a– is getting booed out of the stadium. It’s not fair to the kid.”

Sanchez, of course, knows plenty about being booed by Jets fans. The team drafted him fifth overall in 2009, and he never lived up to the hype. New York had a couple of good seasons with Sanchez at the helm, but that was mostly due to Rex Ryan’s elite defense.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas admitted this week that the phone lines are open for Darnold. He also praised the 23-year-old and said the team would be confident moving forward with him.

Darnold will never be as much of a punchline in New York as Sanchez. The latter, of course, is responsible for the most embarrassing play in Jets franchise history. That said, you can understand why Sanchez is rooting for Darnold to get a fresh start elsewhere.