Sam Darnold’s sophomore season is going to feature a lot of change. He already had a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a few new weapons to play with on offense. Now, he’s also getting a new backup.
That would be former Broncos and Vikings QB Trevor Siemian. He and the Jets have agreed to a one-year deal, his agent announced. The agreement will pay Siemian $2 million with a max value of $3 million, according to The Daily News’ Manish Mehta.
Siemian will replace Josh McCown as Darnold’s backup. The veteran McCown, who served as an invaluable mentor to Darnold during his rookie year, is still mulling retirement. The Jets chose not wait for a decision, instead signing the experienced Siemian to a deal much cheaper than the $10 million McCown earned last year.
The Vikings did not need Siemian to take a snap last season after landing Kirk Cousins, but the 27-year-old saw plenty of action during his three seasons in Denver. For his career, Siemian has thrown for 30 touchdowns, 24 interceptions and 5,686 yards. He owns a 79.9 quarterback rating.
Siemian’s best season came in 2016 when he started 14 games for the Broncos. He tossed 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while throwing for 3,401 yards and compiling an 8-6 record. He then made 10 starts in 2017, but has been a backup ever since.
