It was hardly a surprise to anyone last year when the Jets elected to move on from quarterback Sam Darnold in favor of drafting Zach Wilson.
But that didn’t stop Darnold from making his feelings known to New York’s management on his way out the door.
In an appearance on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast hosted by Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan and free agent linebacker Will Compton, Darnold said he told the Jets they were “making a mistake” by sending him to Carolina to draft a new QB.
“At the end of the day, it’s not my call,” Darnold said, via David Newton of ESPN. “If they don’t think I’m the guy, it is what it is.”
Darnold is now in a similar position with the Panthers, as Carolina is bringing in six of the top quarterbacks in this year’s incoming rookie class for a pre-draft visit. But Darnold said in the same interview that if the Panthers choose another QB, he feels like another team will want him since he’s proven he can be a good quarterback.
But it seems unlikely that there would be any robust market for Darnold’s services, given what the quarterback has put on film since the Jets selected him at No. 3 overall back in 2018. He struggled even last year with his fresh start, completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Darnold carries a career interception rate of 3.2 percent, tossing 54 touchdowns to 52 picks in 50 appearances with 49 starts. He’s also lost 11 of his 29 career fumbles.
Time will tell if Darnold will find success in the league. But it’s hard to argue that the Panthers shouldn’t be looking for a different long-term solution in 2022.
