The rookie pay scale makes it possible to sit a QB. Darnold, as the 3rd overall pick would get 3xs what he will be slotted into. Look at Jamarcus Russels contract. Look at any top QB pick in the days before the slotted scale, when QBs were paid at a completely different range than others taken at the same slot. Those QBs, who were paid so much of the salary cap had to start. Teams count fit a top draft QB and a viable veteran on the same team. Jets and Chiefs are two different cases. The Jets were a team picked to win 2-3 games with luck. The Chiefs were picked to go to the playoffs. Putting in Mahomes to miss the playoffs wasn't an option. Smith wasn't to blame for the losses and Reid, who sees both QBs should know who would best get them out of it and into the playoffs. He was right, Smith got them in. I get that Mahomes get absurd love on the board, but he's a complete unkinown and wasn't nearly the prospect that Darnold is
yeah i'm so glad they made a rookie pay scale. it was stupid that a college bust got paid more money then good starting QBs
And throws a teams cap and finances out of whack. Darnold would be looking at a 70-80 million dollar contact and if he were to bust the Jets are fucked for years. The argument that the second contract will be huge is silly. It won't be huge unless he's worth the money.
that's how it should be. rookie contracts are paid on potential. many of the times the potential never materializes. NFL contracts are based on true results and rarely waver from performance unless a player goes full albert haynesworth
I totally disagree with your post. With regards to rookie QBs, they're getting a lot less than they did before the 2011 CBA, so conversely, the teams can afford to let the QB sit for a year or two. They'll still have 2-3 years to evaluate him as a starter and decide if they are willing to pay him top dollar. Darnold just turned 21 and hasn't even been playing QB that long. Starting him in game 10 against the toughest part of the schedule would be throwing him to the wolves and is the last thing the Jets should do unless both McCown and Teddy are injured, or McCown is injured and Teddy was traded. No, the Chiefs shouldn't have sat Smith last year. They were a playoff caliber team. You don't throw a rookie to the wolves with that kind of pressure. If you have a capable veteran QB, you ride him and give the rookie a year to adjust to the NFL and learn the offense, then you either let them compete in TC the next season or trade the veteran as the Chiefs did. No offense, but I'll trust what Andy Reid decides over what you, me or anyone else on this forum thinks. To begin with, I don't think McCown should be starting this year, unless Teddy gets hurt or struggles in TC. He's a much better QB than McCown, and the Jets have more to gain by starting Teddy than they do McCown. If McCown does start and they are 5-4 after 9 games, then they should stick with him. Even if the early half of the schedule is easier than the later half, if the team and offense are playing that well, then they have an outside shot at the playoffs. You don't throw a rookie in and put that kind of pressure on him. If McCown has struggled and the Jets could/should have been 7-2 or 8-1 at that point, then maybe you consider starting Teddy at that point if he hasn't been traded, but if McCown has struggled, then I think I would put Teddy in earlier than waiting 9 games. If you start Darnold in game 10, then he has to face the Bills twice, the Pats twice, the Packers, the Texans and the Titans. Starting him then would be a great way to wreck his confidence as chances are he wouldn't win a single game, and ruin whatever momentum the Jets might have had going into the offseason. I understand wanting to get Darnold on the field, but he just turned 21. IMO your reasoning for wanting to get him on the field is flawed. The cap and salary should be the last reason for getting him on the field. IMO it would be much better to let him sit and learn this year. McCown won't be back next year, and unless Teddy lights it up, he won't be either. It will be Darnold's job next year. He'll know that going into camp the starting job is his, he will have a year's experience in the NFL, will know the offense, will have had time to work on his fundamentals, and will have had time to learn a lot from Teddy and McCown.
I agreed with you up until your last sentence which is just plain ridiculous imo. Mahomes has a stronger, more accurate arm than Darnold, is every bit the playmaker/creator, and is more athletic and mobile. He was a much better prospect than Darnold. Darnold has only been playing QB for 4-5 years. Mahomes has been playing QB longer and his father was a professional baseball player, so he is more poised and prepared to be a professional.
Rediculous? Mahomes was a project along the lines of Allen, only more so. Played in a gimmick offense for a rinky dink school, a second day pick before the combine. More poised and prepared? Lol.based on what, his father played baseball? Darnold is the best QB prospect since Luck. Would easily have been the number one QB prospect if he came out a year ago, not the third or worse. To argue that is ridiculous. For some weird reason Mahomes has become the Ratlif of modern day Jet fans.
Are you fucking kidding? Mahomes may be the GOAT. Look at all his Super Bowl wins... Oh wait. Never mind..... I guess I got caught up in the Mahomes hype here..
Other than your spelling of ridiculous, I agree with this 100%, Darnold is the superior prospect to Mahomes. A much more complete QB.
Thanks for my ridiculous brain freeze. The rewrite of history around Mahomes is ridiculous on every level. Guy wasnt even picked first in a weak QB draft
Rediculous. Look, he may have a rocket arm and maybe more “athletic” but Darnold is much more “accurate” in terms of being able to fit throws into very tight windows with incredible anticipation and I’d argue he’s more “functionally” athletic in his ability to escape pressure, step away from pressure (be it up, back or sideways) and his ability to throw accurately on the run be it to the right or left (and throwing across his body) is unparalleled in recent drafts. Maybe Marcus is slightly better but Darnold has it all. Mahomes is more of a Mike Vick.
And both Hack’s parent were athletes. Dad was a football player at Virginia and Mom a volleyball player. Clearly best predictor of NFL success.
