Can we chill out with the weapons angle?
“Does Sam Darnold have enough weapons?”
It seems like this question has been asked since he arrived in 2018.
We will certainly find out, but he also needs to improve. It’s not all about the weapons.
He needs to speed up his internal clock.
“There’s just that half second, quicker decision, quicker release, you see that in training camp and that fires you up,” said Jets GM Joe Douglas.
And when you talk about weapons, you shouldn’t have a myopic view and just focus on receivers. The Jets will be throwing a lot to tight ends and running backs in 2020.
“I do think getting Chris Herndon back is one of the guys that nobody really talks about, which obviously him and Sam have phenomenal chemistry together, and with Lev (Le’Veon Bell) and Frank (Gore) back there and now (La’Mical) Perine,” said Jets coach Adam Gase.
And with the tight end group, not only is Herndon a guy to watch, but also Ryan Griffin, who was a pleasant surprise for the Jets last year, and Trevon Wesco, who looked superb in training camp.
At receiver, don’t be shocked if slot receiver Jamison Crowder (on our latest cover pictured above) catches between 80-100 passes this year.
Obviously they need to get Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims healthy, which seems to be happening, but Chris Hogan, who won two rings in New England, is more than capable of helping them a lot, as is Braxton Berrios. Hogan and Berrios are both very good route-runners with soft hands.
The weapons should be okay.
But it’s not all about the weapons.
Darnold needs to improve at things like going through his progressions (not fixating on his first read) and throwing with more anticipation.
And there is a good chance he will, entering his all-important third year in the NFL, and his second season in Gase’s offense.
As an old NFL coach once said: “Quarterbacks make receivers, receivers don’t make quarterbacks.”
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