NY Jets: 5 most likely trade destinations for QB Sam Darnold

NY Jets, Sam Darnold Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2. The NY Jets could trade Sam Darnold to the Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have quietly been exploring the quarterback market this offseason. And while they may not be ready to outright move on from Drew Lock just yet, they at least want to provide him with some competition.

And who better to provide competition to the second-worst starting QB in football last year than the worst starting quarterback in the NFL in 2020?

John Elway may no longer be the GM in Denver, but he still has plenty of say as the team’s president of football operations. And the Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-executive is famously very high on Darnold.

Reports surfaced that Elway planned to trade up to select Darnold back in the 2018 NFL Draft, but the Jets beat him to the punch securing their hopeful franchise QB with a trade up to third overall.

If the New York Giants were open to trading down, the Broncos likely would have slid up to No. 2. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and Denver stayed at sixth overall to select future Pro Bowler Bradley Chubb.

Nonetheless, Elway and the Broncos have another opportunity to add the quarterback they always wanted this offseason. And he’s pretty much exactly the player they’re looking for.

Despite their struggles in 2020, both Darnold and Lock have flashed starter potential in the past. The Broncos would be betting on one of the two impressing and proving themselves worthy of the starting job going into the subsequent season.

It wouldn’t be a bad move by any means, and it’s one they most certainly could make.

Next: 1. Carolina Panthers