Bates Says Darnold Could be Week 1 Starter

Just last night on our latest episode of JetNation radio, we asked Kristian Dyer of Metro if there was a real chance that rookie quarterback Sam Darnold could be under center when week 1 rolls around, and today, Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates addressed the very same question.

Jeremy Bates gushes over Sam Darnold… says rookie QB will start if he can handle everything #Jets are throwing at him.

'We're throwing everything at him.' Story: https://t.co/z3CviykV0E pic.twitter.com/j7YSqEd4Qx

— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaSports) June 13, 2018

“We’re throwing everything at him” said Bates, who didn’t rule out the possibility of the third overall pick starting the team’s Monday night opener in Detroit on September 10th.  A possibility that many fans seem to be at odds with.

While some may wonder why risk starting Darnold when you’ve got a pair of veterans to lean on while he sits back and learns in Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, the fact of the matter is that plenty of quarterbacks have had success early on in recent years.

Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, and going back a few years, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, have all put up some gaudy numbers after stepping in to take the starting jobs for their respective teams from day one.

Is Darnold next in line to take the reins in hopes of never looking back?  According to Bates, it’s not out of the question.

Glenn Naughton

Glenn was Born in the Bronx, New York and has followed the Jets religiously despite being stationed in several different countries and time zones around the world. He now resides in England and has been a JetNation member since 2005. Glenn will bleed green with the rest of us through the highs and lows.

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