Jets looking for improvement from Sam Darnold this year

The New York Jets are trying to find their footing with Adam Gase and Sam Darnold, but it could be a tough battle in 2020.

Best-case scenario

A playoff berth, although that won’t be easy to come by.

A difficult schedule awaits them and, on paper, the roster is still bottom-five in the NFL. The Jets will have to hope the offense takes a significant step forward behind third-year quarterback Sam Darnold and under the guidance of head coach Adam Gase.

Even without Jamal Adams, the defense should still be good enough to earn them a few wins. But if the offense improves in a significant way, the Jets could feasibly finish 9-7.

It certainly isn’t likely though.

Worst-case scenario

A total dumpster fire. The offense fails to improve in any meaningful way from 2019 as Gase’s unit finishes dead last once again. Surely, Gase wouldn’t survive the season, but the damage would already be done to Darnold.

In a worst-case scenario, Darnold would regress in year three while supposed building blocks like Mekhi Becton and Quinnen Williams flounder. The defense would take a step back and regress to the mean as well, leading to a disastrous 3-13 finish. This would set the organization back at least a few years.

Biggest offseason move

Without a doubt, the biggest move was the decision to trade Jamal Adams. As much as many fans don’t want to admit it, the defense will look very different in 2020 without Adams. Different doesn’t necessarily mean worse, but it’s impossible to insist that things will be the exact same.

Draft pick who makes the big impact

General manager Joe Douglas very much drafted for the future in the 2020 NFL Draft. But from an instant-impact perspective, the team sure hopes that Mekhi Becton will make a huge difference in 2020.

The massive left tackle will be tasked with protecting Darnold’s blindside and improving an offensive line that was bottom-two in the NFL last year. Look for Becton to make a sizable impact, but keep an eye on safety Ashtyn Davis as well.

Overall expectations

Given the current state of the roster and the difficult schedule that awaits the team, it’s hard to be too optimistic about the Jets.

The offense remains one of the weaker units in the league and the defense needs to prove that it can achieve the same level of success without its best player. Still, if Darnold can continue to show improvement — despite his abysmal situation — the 2020 season can be considered a success.

Realistically, we’re looking at a 5-11 team right now, give or take a win or two. There are reasons the Jets can do better (i.e. a hopefully improved offensive line and the returns of numerous injured players). But the same is also true for the opposite.

It’s best to curb expectations rather than set the bar too high and become disappointed. So for that reason, don’t anticipate more than five wins from Gang Green in 2020.