Scott Long
4/5/21
It was no secret that the New York Jets and Sam Darnold seemed destined for a breakup after the end of the season. Both sides needed a change of scenery, with the Jets possessing the second overall pick, and Darnold looking to play on an offense with more skill position players.
Today this inevitable fate came to fruition as the Jets sent Darnold to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, as well as second- and fourth-round selections in next year’s draft. For the Jets, Joe Douglas continues to stockpile draft capital since being hired as the general manager. After gaining picks in trades involving Jamal Adams and Steve McLendon among others, Douglas looks to rebuild his team through the draft. While Carolina is looking at rebuilding in a different way. Head coach Matt Rhule is building through the draft as well, however, after seeing the San Francisco 49ers trade up to third overall in this year’s draft, the ability to find a franchise quarterback through that route began to look much slimmer, so they opted for the trade route. This route gives the team Darnold, who is still only 23 years old, as the quarterback for the future, while allowing them to select a blue-chip prospect with the eighth overall selection.
Many believe that BYU’s Zach Wilson will be the selection for the Jets, and this has been the belief for almost a month now. Darnold’s departure erases any doubt that a quarterback will be selected, while Ohio State’s Justin Fields represents another potential option for the Jets. Wilson impressed at his Pro Day and much of the Jets front office was in attendance, so betting odds list him as the favorite. If Wilson is selected, he will join an offense with several other newcomers, including Corey Davis, Keelan Cole and Tevin Coleman who were all signed as free agents this offseason. These three, along with Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder will provide Wilson or whoever is selected with a much-improved crop of weapons from what Darnold worked with the last few seasons. Wilson would provide Douglas and newly hired head coach Robert Saleh with a building block as the potential franchise quarterback, and the team also owns an additional first round selection and two second round selections, courtesy of the Adams trade, as well as two firsts and two seconds next year as well. Whether or not Wilson is the long term answer for the Jets remains to be seen, but Douglas and Saleh appear to be planning to build a young core around Wilson, while pairing it with their free agent acquisitions, and current cornerstone players Mekhi Becton and Marcus Maye.
As for the Panthers, many believed that they would trade up for a quarterback. However, once John Lynch moved up to third overall, ensuring quarterbacks would go in the top three, it became abundantly clear that the Panthers would have at best the fourth option, and would likely have to trade up to even ensure that. So, Matt Rhule and the Panthers front office opted to make a move for Darnold, while only trading picks in days two and three the next two years. Darnold joins an offense that consists of Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. Many speculate that the Panthers would select Kyle Pitts if he were to fall to them at eight to add yet another weapon to Darnold’s arsenal, this time at the tight end position. If he’s unavailable it’s likely the team looks to bolster its defense or solidify it’s offensive line. And the team likely isn’t finished on the trade front, as they are likely to trade incumbent starter Teddy Bridgewater to a team in need of a quarterback, such as the Denver Broncos, Washington Football Team or Pittsburgh Steelers, in order to recuperate some of the picks they lost acquiring Darnold.
Time will tell how this trade work out for both sides, but initially on the surface this trade makes a lot of sense for both teams. The Panthers get their franchise quarterback, while holding onto their first round pick, and the Jets clear the quarterback room to make way for Wilson or Fields, while also adding some draft capital to further retool the roster around their new quarterback.