Jets taking calls from Sam Darnold suitors, Niners ‘very high’ on QB: report

It’s beginning to feel like a question of when, not if, the Jets will trade Sam Darnold.

Darnold was a trade candidate even before new head coach Robert Saleh said on Jan. 21 that it would be “premature” to call Darnold the Jets’ starting QB for 2021.

Now the Jets are receiving calls from teams expressing interest in Darnold, according to ESPN. While the Jets haven’t made a decision on Darnold yet, they aren’t turning the calls away.

In particular, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is “very high” on Darnold, per CBS. The Washington Football Team also would be interested if Darnold is available, per NFL Network.

The Jets are the third team in the past week reportedly receiving increased interest in their own quarterback, following the Raiders with Derek Carr (Las Vegas Journal-Review) and the Eagles with Carson Wentz (ESPN, NFL Network).

Floating a quarterback as an available commodity often helps teams create a market and bidding wars for their player, as evidenced by the Wentz drama in Philly.

In a case like Wentz’s — with the player and his agents also angling for a trade — the noise is guaranteed to only get louder until a deal goes down.

The Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears reportedly are the leading contenders to land Wentz, but the Eagles have been asking for two first-round picks, which has led to “some dial tones,” per the Boston Sports Journal.

The expectation around the league is that Wentz will be moved imminently for a lower price.

The Jets are wise to take calls on Darnold even before Wentz is dealt, though, because he is arguably a more attractive commodity. The Jets also have a lot of options at QB, too, holding the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft with a possible shot at bidding for Houston’s Deshaun Watson, as well.

Darnold, 23, carries a manageable $9.7 million cap hit in 2021 with a fifth-year option to be picked up for 2022. His 2020 season obviously was beyond disappointing (nine TDs, 11 INTs, 59.6 completion %), but at such a young age, it’s possible a better coaching staff and supporting cast could help him turn it around.

Wentz, 28, at his best has played at a much higher level than Darnold ever has. But Wentz’s 2020 season was catastrophically bad (16 TDs, 15 INTs, 57.4 completion %). He carries a $34.6 million cap hit in 2021, in year one of a four-year extension.

He’s had multiple major injuries. And frankly, Wentz has never been popular among Eagles players, regardless of what some have said publicly.

Wentz’s ties to Colts head coach Frank Reich and Bears QB coach John DeFilippo make sense for possible fits, but it’s buyer beware. And it’s more likely only Chicago would be desperate enough — with GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy on hot seats — to surrender significant assets for such a declining player with baggage.

Darnold, by contrast, represents potential untapped upside with less risk attached. The 49ers, Washington, Denver Broncos and Colts are four potential suitors who would make sense as a fit.

Much has been made of how Darnold may excel in Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s system coming from San Fran. But imagine what the mobile Darnold could do running Shanahan’s Niners offense on the west coast in Darnold’s home state?

In Washington, Ron Rivera led a team with a young core to the playoffs and might be able to stabilize his quarterback situation with a young and rising QB in Darnold.

In Denver, Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur had a lot of respect for Darnold coming out of USC in the 2018 NFL Draft, although the Giants took Saquon Barkley No. 2 overall one pick ahead of Darnold.

Daniel Jones’ most explosive NFL games all came in Shurmur’s offense as a rookie, and the Broncos have some real wide receiver talent.

In Indianapolis, Reich is a highly-respected offensive mind with a track record of getting the most out of his QBs.

Watson’s drama in Houston, obviously, is hovering over the entire quarterback market. The price, however, for the Texans’ star — and the presence of his no-trade clause — puts any bidding war for him into another stratosphere than the rest of the QBs.

The Niners, Carolina Panthers and Jets are among the teams still interested in a trade for Watson, per CBS. The Dolphins are believed to have interest, as well, and are the only team that can compete with the Jets’ level of assets to acquire Watson.

Multiple reports on Sunday said that the Texans are telling teams they are not trading Watson, digging their heels in further in a standoff with a quarterback who no longer wants to play there.

But the Texans reinforced Watson’s concerns by firing several staffers recently, including equipment manager Mike Parson, who had a close relationship with Watson, per ESPN.

Combined with Sports Illustrated’s extensive reporting on the paranoid hunting for leaks by Texans consigliere Jack Easterby, the firings come across as vindictive retribution toward those perceived disloyal to Easterby and owner Cal McNair.

[More Jets] Robert Saleh compares Giants-Jets fan difference to Michigan-Michigan State »

Texans star D-lineman J.J. Watt, another disgruntled Houston star, called out the organization for firing Parson on Twitter. Watson, 25, is going to be traded, even if GM Nick Caserio doesn’t want to do it.

———

AS FOR THE LIONS

The Detroit Lions turned down a Carolina Panthers trade package of QB Teddy Bridgewater, the Panthers’ No. 8 overall first-round pick, and a fifth-rounder in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes, per ESPN.

The Lions got two-first rounders from the L.A. Rams in 2022 and 2023, plus a 2012 third-rounder and QB Jared Goff. But even with the second first-rounder from L.A., it’s interesting Detroit turned down that package from the Panthers.

The Lions already own the No. 7 overall pick. That deal would have given them a bridge quarterback in Bridgwater and back-to-back picks in the top 10 to take a young QB and a talented position player to help their rebuild.

The Rams’ second first-rounder got the deal done. Clearly, though, so did Lions GM Brad Holmes’ familiarity with his former Rams bosses and with Goff, a player he helped scout and draft. Unless Detroit flips Goff in a deal elsewhere, though, Detroit is committing in the short term to a QB whom the Rams soured on quickly after extending his contract. Clearly Detroit is taking on a long-term rebuild with coach Dan Campbell, but where will that rebuild take them if they don’t have an elite QB?

The Panthers, by the way, reportedly believed they had a deal with Lions until Detroit at the last minute secured that final offer from the Rams and pivoted to L.A.

———

CRAZY TALK

The Eagles’ reported ask of two first-rounders for Wentz may have been trumped by the Lions reportedly asking the Rams to include now four-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald in the Stafford trade. Please … Teams reportedly are calling the Seattle Seahawks about QB Russell Wilson and are being told he’s not available for trade, per NFL Network. That’d be quite the trade for Pete Carroll to rationalize to that fan base.