Breaking down the Jets at QB: Depth chart, battles, and keys to success entering 2020 NFL training camp

As NFL training camp is only a few weeks away, head coach Adam Gase is certainly ready to finally get in the building with his players to start evaluating and putting together his roster.

GM Joe Douglas made massive improvements to the roster, which will lead to some heated camp competition.

So over the next few weeks, we’ll look at some of those position groups as well as some key players that will be pivotal in Jets success or failure during the 2020 season. Let’s first begin with the most important position in the game, and the most important player for this franchise…

QUARTERBACKS DEPTH CHART (in order): Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco, David Fales, James Morgan (rookie)

2019 REVIEW

Though Year 2 for quarterbacks is supposed to be a much-improved year, Darnold had to learn an entirely new offense under Gase. But he was confident that he had it down pat before the season began. Week 1 didn’t show that after a 175-yard performance with 41 attempts through the air, and then it got much worse.

Darnold, of course, contracted mono and had to miss three straight weeks. It was a crushing blow to the Jets’ start of the season because well, the quarterback play wasn’t even close to Darnold’s in that span. Trevor Siemian was Darnold backup heading into Week 2 against the Browns, but he would suffer a season-ending injury in that bout. Luke Falk, then, stepped in but couldn’t get anything going on offense in Weeks 3 and 5 (New York had a buy in Week 4).

So with the Jets facing the Cowboys in Week 6, Darnold made his return with a bang – 338 yards with two touchdowns and one interception to lead an upset over Dallas. But it wasn’t smooth sailing from there with three straight losses following it.

What didn’t help was Darnold was basically running for his life on most occasions due to a very porous offensive line. Also, his weapons weren’t the best either with Robby Anderson and Jamison Crowder his two best options in the passing game.

But then Darnold began to make something out of nothing, as the Jets went 6-2 in the second half of the season. Darnold played smart, was accurate with his passes, and seemed to be getting a real feel for Gase’s offense. It wouldn’t be enough to get the Jets to the playoffs, but they would finish 7-9 with Darnold having a 7-6 record over 13 games.

That is improvement from his rookie season after a 4-9 starting record and his numbers – 3,024 yards, 61.9 completion percentage, 19 touchdowns – were all better, too. So it was an improvement year, but not what Darnold probably expected out of himself.

CAMP BATTLE TO WATCH

Because of the backup mishaps of 2019, Douglas knew he needed to bring in a better option considering Darnold has missed three games in both of his seasons thus far. That’s why Flacco, a veteran with a Super Bowl victory under his belt, comes in to not only help Darnold’s progression but be ready to play if he can’t. He’s got that position on lock.

So while it isn’t necessarily a crucial battle to watch, seeing how Fales and the rookie Morgan compete will be interesting to watch. Everyone was curious as to why Douglas & Co. decided to select Morgan with their fourth-round pick, knowing they had Darnold in place and there were other needs to address on the roster. There must’ve been something that they loved to select a quarterback that high.

If the Jets carry three quarterbacks, that last slot is up for grabs. Fales knows the Gase offense, so he has the advantage.

THREE KEYS TO 2020 SUCCESS

Play all 16: One of Darnold’s goals has to be to play a full 16-game season considering he hasn’t done it yet. That’s not how he envisioned the start to his career, but unfortunately those were the cards he was dealt. But Jets fans could clearly see how much different the team is with Darnold under center compared to on the sideline. The Jets need their franchise quarterback in place all season long if they wish to get through this extremely tough schedule they’ve been given.

Find chemistry with Breshad Perriman/Denzel Mims: They might not be big-name additions, but Douglas did give Darnold two receivers that have the potential to make big impacts. Perriman, a former first-rounder, is looking to prove to everyone he’s worthy of that title after a breakout season last year. So a chip on his shoulder should be good. And then there’s Mims, the Jets’ second-rounder this year that is viewed as a steal because he fell so far in the NFL Draft. Darnold needs to make sure that he is on the same page with at least one of these receivers to go along with Crowder and his tight ends Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin. Perriman and Mims are both deep-ball threats with big play potential. The Jets need that this season, so some extra work will go a long way for Darnold and his new targets.

Handle all the pressure: Some believe that Adam Gase’s job is in question even though it’s only been one season. Douglas believes he’s made the necessary improvements (for now) to make this team a playoff squad. It all comes down to what Darnold can do in Year 3. It’s a ton of pressure on the California native, but his laidback demeanor is perfect for it. He recognizes his leadership role and what he needs to do in that regard, and he’s been one to let his play do the talking. But the Jets – and their fans – need to start seeing better results. Much of the team’s success this year will be matching some of the best offenses in the league, so it is up to Darnold to take that big leap this season. The Jets will definitely need it.