The New York Jets are expected to entertain the idea of trading Sam Darnold this offseason, and it sounds like they will not have trouble finding a suitor for the young quarterback if they decide to go that route.
Multiple teams have already reached out to the Jets to discuss a potential Darnold trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. While the Jets remain unsure about what they want to do at the quarterback position, they have not turned the calls away.
The QB trade market has been very active this offseason, with several teams in search of a starter. As Schefter notes, the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Washington all inquired about Matthew Stafford before he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. It’s possible some of those teams could have interest in Darnold.
The Jets have the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and many analysts expect them to select Ohio State star Justin Fields. They also haven’t ruled out trading Darnold and using the compensation to make a deal for another quarterback, according to Schefter.
Darnold had a rough third season with 2,208 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games. Of course, the Jets were a complete mess under former head coach Adam Gase. Darnold is also still just 23, so you can understand why teams believe he has potential.
At least one other top quarterback seems likely to be traded in the near future. Darnold could be the next to go after that.
