Sam Darnold needs saving, but who in the NFL can do it?

Sam Darnold needs saving from the Jets, but what team will do it?

Sam Darnold was QB1 for many talent evaluators in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Although his propensity for throwing interceptions in college was troublesome (and reminded some of Jameis Winston), his raw talent shined through and he was the third pick in the draft to the New York Jets.

Since that selection, it’s been mostly all downhill.

Darnold has struggled with injuries, poor coaching, a poor supporting cast, and apparently ghosts. His growth in the NFL has hit a ceiling, though the Jets had a 7-6 record in 2019 when Darnold was in the game at quarterback.

In the 2020 offseason, the Jets will almost undoubtedly send Darnold to a new team. His trade value will be at an all-time low, but with two years of team control, it’s not going to take much for a team that liked Darnold in 2018 to trade for him at the age of 23.

Darnold will be younger in 2021 than some rookie quarterbacks, only he will have three years of NFL experience under his belt.

The injuries, inconsistency, decision-making, and inaccurate throws work against both Darnold and the Jets, but some smart team will buy low and believe that the best is yet to come for the former USC star.

Right now, he’s at rock bottom.

So who in the NFL is going to be able to salvage Sam Darnold’s NFL career?

There should be no shortage of options in the 2021 offseason of teams in the market to acquire a young asset at the quarterback position. Not that Joe Douglas and the Jets are going to seek to do Darnold any favors — they’ll take the best offer they’re given — but it makes sense for a team with a strong infrastructure in place to try to acquire Darnold.

Namely, a couple of teams that make a ton of sense for Darnold right now are the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts. These are two teams with stability in their coaching staff, a proven track record of developing quarterbacks, and strong rosters besides the quarterback position.

Another team that could be very interesting for Darnold?

The Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams have Jared Goff, of course, but Goff has been a bit too hot and cold in recent years to be sitting there with no competition behind him for a job. Darnold would be a great hedge for Goff in case he got injured, and Darnold would be a tremendous fit in Sean McVay’s offense.

You could make a case for any number of teams to acquire Darnold in the 2021 offseason at the price it will likely take to get him based on his play in 2020 and the Jets obviously going for Trevor Lawrence if they get the first overall pick.

With that being said, there are a variety of teams that could really help get Darnold back on the right track. At the age of 23, there’s no doubt that Darnold has plenty of time to turn things around.