FLORHAM PARK, NJ – New York Jets CEO Joe Douglas declared the biggest trade of his two-year tenure, saying the decision to go with quarterback Sam Darnold was largely based on two factors: design position and finances.
“I think it’s safe to say that if our choice was a little later, we wouldn’t have this discussion right now,” Douglas told reporters on Tuesday during a Zoom call. “We would feel very comfortable moving on with Sam.”
The Jets, who were picked second in the April 29 NFL draw, traded Darnold for the Carolina Panthers for three draft picks – a 2021 sixth round pick, plus 2022 second and fourth rounds.
At number 2, the Jets are expected to select BYU quarterback Zach Wilson.
Douglas downplayed the ability to trade choice. He acknowledged the obvious by saying they are locked in a quarterback. But he wouldn’t say which one, insisting that the final decision has yet to be made.
“We feel very good about the draft class as a whole and the quarterback class in particular,” said Douglas. “This was an opportunity to press the reset button financially, as it were.”
That was a huge factor, sources said.
The second choice in design delivers a four-year contract worth $ 35 million, fully guaranteed – a fixed cost that allows for financial flexibility for years to come. Meanwhile, Darnold would count $ 9.8 million in the last year of his rookie contract. The Jets could have exercised its option for the fifth year before 2022, but the cost would have been $ 18.9 million.
It would have been $ 28.7 million for two years, compared to $ 35 million for four. There is also a $ 5 million limit on trading Darnold.
Although Douglas complimented Darnold, the organization believes it will find an upgrade with the second choice. Darnold, who was drafted third in 2018, fell short of expectations and was the league’s lowest-rated passer in the past three seasons.
Douglas admitted the Jets weren’t doing enough to help Darnold, saying they needed to better surround the next quarterback with talent.
The team toyed with the idea of keeping Darnold and pairing him with a rookie, Douglas confirmed. In the end, the Jets decided it would have been a distraction for all parties.
Ultimately, that wouldn’t be the best situation for Sam, for the rookie quarterback, for coach [Robert] Saleh and his staff, and the locker room, ”said Douglas. We felt it was the best decision for the entire organization to move forward by hitting the reset button. “
Douglas said he has had “conversations with many teams,” including the Panthers, about the second choice, but that he would not see any of those discussions as meaningful.
The plan is to stay on number 2 and pick a quarterback. Barring one trick, it’ll be Wilson. Had they picked in the 12 to 14 range, they would have rolled with Darnold, the GM said.
“Based on the decision we made [Monday]’, Douglas said,’ you can kind of see which direction we are going. ‘