Jets Rule Out QB Sam Darnold For Week 5, Re-Sign QB David Fales

October 4, 2019

The New York Jets have ruled out QB Sam Darnold for Week 5’s game against the Eagles and re-signed Davis Fales to operate as Luck Falk’s backup.

Jets HC Adam Gase said that Darnold was tested last night, but his spleen “is not where it needs to be” for him to return to game action.

“When we told (Darnold), the first thing he says is, ‘I feel like I’m letting the other guys down,'” Gase said, per Mike Garafolo. “He did everything he was asked to do. It just didn’t work out for him.”

As of now, the Jets’ doctors can’t definitively say whether Darnold will be cleared before the Jets game against the Cowboys next week, but Gase is optimistic that he’ll be ready to go by then, per Manish Mehta.

Darnold made it clear that he was hoping to return this week, but didn’t want to put himself in serious jeopardy.

Darnold, 22, was taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Jets. He agreed to a four-year, $30,370,490 contract with the Jets that includes a $20,167,628 signing bonus.

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

In 2018, Darnold appeared in 13 games for the Jets and completed 57.7 percent of his passes for 2.865 yards to go along with 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown.

Fales, 28, was taken in the sixth round of the Bears back in 2014. He was unable to make the 53-man roster coming out of the preseason during his rookie year.

Fales was on and off of the Ravens’ practice squad throughout the 2016 season before the Bears signed him to their active roster.

From there, Fales signed on with the Dolphins in 2017 and returned to Miami last year on a one-year contract. After being cut by the Dolphins, Fales signed on to the Jets’ practice squad before being called up a few weeks ago. The Jets released him soon after.

In 2017, Fales appeared in two games for the Dolphins and completed 67.4 percent of his passes to go along with 265 yards passing, one touchdown, one interception, eight yards rushing and one touchdown.