New Jets coach Robert Saleh praised fullback Sam Darnold … up to a point.
Saleh made very nice statements during the coach’s introductory press conference on Thursday, but he stopped saying Darnold would be the team’s quarterback in 2021.
“He has an incredibly poor talent,” Saleh said. ‘There’s a reason he was number 3 in the draft. He is fearless in the bag. He has a natural throwing motion. He’s mobile. He is very intelligent and is tough as nails. His reputation in the locker room is undeniable. Just in general, there is a reason why he was the third choice in the concept, and you can see all the features on the tire and around the building as people talk about him. ‘
The Jets make an important decision about Darnold. He was a disappointment in his first three seasons, but he is only 23 and many people believe he can improve in a better offensive system and with better players around him. Saleh has hired Mike LaFleur as his attacking coordinator to apply the quarterback-friendly Kyle Shanahan offense.
The Jets have the number 2 overall pick in the draft and may pick the second best quarterback in the draft. The Jaguars are expected to line up Clemson star Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick.
This past week, there was also pressure on the media and fans for the Jets to trade for disgruntled Texan fullback Deshaun Watson. Joe Douglas, general manager of the Jets, was asked about Watson, but could not say anything due to the NFL toddler rules.
“I can’t talk about a player who is not in our team,” Douglas said. ‘As [Saleh] alluded to, and I will say now, our next step in the process is to get together as a staff, get all the guys in our team through, really get their perspective to watch the band and the perspective of the people who have been here the last few years. It’s going to be a great meeting that lays the foundation for our off-season. ”
Douglas said the only conversations about players he had with Saleh were during the interview process. Saleh is focused on building his coaching staff. They can now begin to judge not only Darnold, but everyone on the list.
“There are a lot of things we need to do to move forward,” Saleh said when asked if Darnold is his predecessor entering the training camp. ‘We only get the staff in the building. There are so many things we need to do from an evaluation standpoint regarding the entire roster, not just the quarterback. Giving you the answer now would not be fair. There are many discussions to be had with Joe’s staff and himself. It would be a bit premature to give you the answer now. ‘