New York Jets QB Sam Darnold expected to return sooner than anticipated

New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold can be the knight in shining armor for the squad in 2019. Here is an injury update and some positive news.

New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has mono. Trevor Siemian is out for the season with an ankle injury. Luke Falk saw the first NFL action of his career.

With an 0-2 start to the season, it seems like the end is inevitable. Or is it?

A light has emerged at the end of the tunnel for green and white fans everywhere: Sam Darnold is “feeling better” per head coach Adam Gase.

Not only that, but Darnold returned to the team facilities on Tuesday for the first time since receiving the diagnosis of mononucleosis.

The next step to getting Sam back at practice and eventually leading the squad out of the tunnel lays in the hands of the doctors. Once they provide the green light, he’ll be allowed to take the next step.

After a weekend of conflicting reports, New York Jets fans weren’t sure how to feel.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Darnold returning early was “overly optimistic” and he’d be out 3-7 weeks.

While shortly after that report, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen came out with a different story:

“Sam Darnold is already feeling better and a return vs the Philadelphia Eagles (Week 5) or Dallas Cowboys (Week 6) is in the cards. The big thing is having more scans on his spleen to monitor that progress.

The team will monitor his physical conditioning. In terms of the mental, the team has uploaded daily practice installs and film on future opponents coming up on the schedule. Gang green will not risk the quarterback until his spleen is deemed stable.”

With Darnold already back at the facilities, the team is feeling optimistic about Sam returning to the field sooner rather than later.

While Sam is out, the team will hand the keys over to Luke Falk, per head coach Adam Gase.

In case you missed it, Siemian suffered an ankle injury early in Week 2 vs the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. It appeared that he broke his ankle and Adam Gase confirmed on Tuesday he’ll be placed on injured reserve and he’s out for the season.

Prior to the Week 3 matchup vs the New England Patriots, the Jets will add another quarterback to the room.