Darnold’s Progression Makes It Inevitable
In the pass-heavy, aerial attack NFL of 2020, it comes as no coincidence that NFL teams will only go as far as their quarterbacks’ arms can take them.
In reflection, Darnold saw incremental jumps in just about every statistic in 2020, and the Jets’ win-loss record followed. In 13 games with No. 14, the Jets went 7-6, a number that would give the team a puncher’s chance most years.
The Jets have good reason to believe Darnold will progress in Year Three. He experienced completion percentage jumps from his rookie season to his sophomore year. And while there are still concerns about both his sloppiness and his red zone efficiency, it’s like Bell said: those who watch film understand why.
With a better offensive line, Darnold is primed to correct those habits. Many of this generation’s top quarterbacks — Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Matthew Stafford, and Jared Goff — had career years in Year Three, as they grew accustomed to what was around them.
It correlates to our aforementioned point. If defenses fear Darnold and the Jets’ passing game, it makes Bell’s job tons easier. Last year, Bell, one of the most evasive runners of our generation, didn’t have a run over 20-yards or more last season.
It’s a big test for the Jets’ backfield. New York can rid itself of $9.5 million by cutting ties with Bell in 2021. In what will essentially be a contract year, my hunch is that they’re definitely up to the challenge.
