Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was a full participant in practice for the third straight day on Friday, but the team’s not ready to say he’ll make his return to the lineup in Buffalo on Sunday.
Darnold returned to practice last week before missing his third game with a foot injury and he was working with the first team this week, so it appears he’s trending toward playing this weekend. Head coach Todd Bowles would only say that the team would decide between Darnold and Josh McCown on Sunday, however.
“Between him and Josh, they both had good weeks,” Bowles said at his press conference.
Bowles was also asked what Darnold needs to improve on as his rookie season nears its conclusion.
“Well everything,” Bowles said. “Obviously as a rookie quarterback you’re going to have improve on everything every week, and that’s any one of our rookies at any position. He’s got to get better with reads, and he will with playing time and everything else and progressions and getting in and out of the huddle, which he had been doing a good job at before he got hurt.”
Assuming Darnold starts this week, he’ll have four weeks to work on those things before embarking on an offseason that seems likely to bring a new head coach to the organization.