New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold just had thumb surgery

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. Offseason thumb surgery is the latest chapter in a forgetful year.

No one could have possibly anticipated the nightmare campaign that was the 2019 New York Jets season.

The theme was oddities with a mononucleosis diagnosis, Sam Darnold seeing “ghosts” during a primetime broadcast, and an alarming amount of injuries.

One of those injuries was suffered by Darnold back in Week 8 vs the Jacksonville Jaguars and he played through it. Earlier this week he had offseason thumb surgery on his left (non-throwing) hand to repair it.

It’s the final chapter of a largely forgettable season for the second-year passer.

It is considered a minor procedure and isn’t expected to cause Darnold to miss any time during the offseason.

The New York Post was first on the story.

While this surgery happens to be minor it speaks to a larger issue: the team needs to do a better job of protecting their franchise investment.

During the 2019 season, Sam Darnold battled a variety of bumps and bruises that featured his thumb, knee, and ribs. He played behind a terrible offensive line and didn’t have a ton of talent around him.

If the Jets want to get the most out of Sam Darnold that needs to change.

Fortunately this offseason the team is loaded with cap space ($60 million currently and can create another $25 to $30 million with some roster finagling, full details on that here). The Jets have eight selections in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.

Plus general manager Joe Douglas can always utilize the trade market, which is something he hasn’t been afraid to do in the past even during his short time as the lead man for the New York Jets.