Since rookie quarterback Sam Darnold ended his brief holdout and signed with the Jets, there’s been a steady drumbeat of talk that he has a good chance of earning the starting job in Week One. Now Darnold is looking like not only does he have a chance, but he’s the favorite to start when the Jets open the regular season against the Lions on Monday Night Football.
Darnold was working with the first-string offense in practice this week, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that it would be an upset if Darnold doesn’t start the opener.
According to the report, the Jets’ decision makers are getting happier and happier with their decision to take Darnold third overall with each day of practice they see.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles said he has been impressed with both Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, and that it’s a three-way quarterback race. But the Jets didn’t draft Darnold to stand on the sideline holding a clipboard. They drafted him because they think he’s their franchise quarterback.