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.
“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.