Sam Darnold played a big role in the recruitment of Joe Douglas to New York, and now that the new GM is finally in town, he already likes what he sees in his young quarterback.
“I love his energy,” Douglas said in a Q&A with the New York Post’s Steve Serby. “I think he had an infectious energy, and I think he’s got a real love of this game, and I think he has an intense desire to get better every day.”
Douglas watched Darnold in spring practices this week, where the second-year signal-caller continued to learn Adam Gase’s new offense and work with his new weapons. Darnold’s progression looks promising given his youth, and it reinforces Douglas’ decision to make the jump from Philadelphia to New York.
Quarterbacks are the most obvious cornerstone of any football franchise. Douglas knows this firsthand coming from the Eagles and Ravens. Both teams won Super Bowls with young talent developed in-house with a core of supporting players and a stable offensive line. The Jets aren’t there yet, but Darnold is the biggest piece of the puzzle they’ve seemingly solved.
“He just comes across as a genuine young man that wants to get better and wants to be coached,” Douglas continued when asked about Darnold. “And I think he’s got the right people around here to do that.”
It’s Gase’s job to groom Darnold, while it’s Douglas’ job to build the infrastructure around him to succeed. Considering the second biggest part of building a franchise is the offensive line, according to Douglas, the GM’s next move will likely be to shore up the depth to help his young quarterback.
Douglas understands the “urgency” to win now with a young quarterback on a rookie deal. Again, it’s how he was able to help the Eagles and Ravens win championships. Luckily, Douglas likes Darnold enough where there isn’t any worry of finding an offensive leader.
With Douglas, Gase and Darnold all aligned, the Jets could be in for a surprising turnaround if the rest of the team can come together as quickly as their GM, coach and quarterback.
