Jets Believed To Be Leaning Toward Keeping Sam Darnold Without No. 1 Pick

According to Jason La Canfora, NFL executives who know Jets GM Joe Douglas believe he’s more likely to keep QB Sam Darnold if New York ends up with the No. 2 pick. 

New York’s first win of the season pushed them out of the No. 1 overall slot behind the Jaguars with two games to go. Without the chance to draft Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, La Canfora says the Jets might hold an auction for the second pick. 

La Canfora writes Douglas had a strong opinion of Darnold coming out of college and a trade could allow the team to add even more assets to build around Darnold.

“If you auction off that pick, you probably end up getting a ransom,” one NFL GM told La Canfora. “It’s too early to know for sure, but I could see that be very appealing to him. It would be to me.”

There are still two games to go and La Canfora adds the Jets presumed coaching search and the return of owner Woody Johnson from his tenure as ambassador to the United Kingdom are other variables that will determine Darnold’s future in New York. 

Darnold, 23, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2018. He’s currently in the third year of his four-year, $30,370,490 contract with the Jets that included a $20,167,628 signing bonus.

The contract will also include a fifth-year option for the Jets to pick up in 2021.

In 2020, Darnold has appeared in 10 games for the Jets and completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 1,767 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has also rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Darnold and the Jets as the news is available.