Washington Football Team: Exploring every potential quarterback trade target
QB Sam Darnold, Jets
So far, Sam Darnold has been a disappointment for the New York Jets. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy and has missed at least three games in each of his three professional seasons. He also has struggled with turnovers, a problem that was prevalent for him at USC.
Entering the offseason, there are some serious questions about what the Jets will do at the quarterback position. They’re armed with the No. 2 overall pick and are run by a general manager that wasn’t the one who selected Darnold back in 2018. They also have a new coaching staff helmed by the defensive-minded Robert Saleh and new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
With all that said, the Jets are well-positioned to add a new potential franchise quarterback to their team if a player in the 2021 NFL Draft class stands out. Justin Fields and Zach Wilson would be the potential options there, so if the team decides that either has a brighter future than Darnold, they could opt to select one of them outright and look to offload Darnold for some extra draft capital.
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The Jets will also be a threat to trade for any of the potential franchise quarterbacks that could become available this offseason. That No. 2 pick is a huge weapon for them, so if they think a player on the open market would be a sure-fire, long-term upgrade over Darnold, they could add a quarterback that way and look to trade Darnold.
Either way, Darnold’s hold on a roster spot with the Jets is precarious. If he becomes available, Washington should be interested in acquiring him. Darnold has untapped potential, but he hasn’t progressed after two years playing for Adam Gase, a coach who is notable for getting the least out of his players. Perhaps a change of scenery could spark Darnold and let him tap into his solid athletic ability and good arm talent to become a competent distributor with an ability to make some flashy plays.
If the price to acquire Darnold is a mid-round pick, Washington should at least consider this type of deal. He would give the team a ton of upside and could be groomed as the quarterback of the future. He’ll need to work on his accuracy (59.8 percent completion rate on his career) and turnovers (13 INTs per season, an average of more than one per game played), but the tools and talent is there. It’s just about coaxing it out of Darnold.
Darnold is a viable reclamation project, if nothing else. Perhaps he’d be a better fit for a team with a more established offensive coordinator than Washington, but either way, Darnold should be on the radar of any quarterback-needy team. The only question is about whether or not he’d be a true upgrade for Washington. That much is certainly debatable.