Sam Darnold’s career can be saved if one of these teams trades for him

The New York Jets are in the drivers seat to select Trevor Lawrence with the first-overall pick, meaning Sam Darnold will be on the trade block. Here are three teams that should inquire.

In the first seven weeks of the 2020 NFL season, several teams have proven that they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. But when it comes to the New York Jets, they’ve shown the world that they are the worst team in the league by a country mile. The roster is one of the weakest in the league and the coaching of Adam Gase has been abysmal.

While it’s another lost season for the Jets, the fanbase is taking solace in the fact that the team is in the drivers seat to earn the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That means the jets will use it on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who’s lighting it up in college and has been dubbed a once-in-a-generation signal caller. The Jets have to go that route, which means they’ll have to part ways with current quarterback Sam Darnold, whom the team drafted with the third overall pick back in 2018. Darnold’s stint with the Jets has been filled with some highs, but with plenty of woes due to inconsistencies. While he hasn’t lived up to his potential, that doesn’t mean he can’t succeed elsewhere.

Here are three trade destinations for Sam Darnold. More specifically, these are places where Darnold can legitimately succeed.

The Indianapolis Colts have been trying to find an answer at the quarterback position ever since Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement last year.

The front office believed Jacoby Brissett was the guy, as evidenced by the contract extension handed to him immediately. While he put up decent numbers, he led the team to a 7-8 record as a starter. At the start of the 2020 league year, the Colts gave former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers a one-year deal to lead the offense. While Rivers has completed 69.0-percent of his passes for 1,598 yards, he’s thrown seven touchdowns and six interceptions. Sure, they’re 4-2 on the year, but the Colts were expecting more out of the veteran.

Head coach Frank Reich is known for being a quarterback whisperer, as evidenced to his time as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Just look at the 2017 season. Carson Wentz was having an MVP-caliber year before suffering a year-ending knee injury and backup Nick Foles led the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl victory. That’s why the Colts named him head coach after the Josh McDaniels deal fell through.

Darnold has been cursed by having mediocre coaching staffs. There was no worse coach the Jets could have picked than Gase to “develop” him. He lost the chance to turn into a top-tier quarterback, but he can redeem himself on another squad. The Colts would be a great choice, but for one specific reason — they have a dominant offensive line. Darnold would feel like he reached heaven if he landed in Indy!