NFL teams will head off for training camps at the end of July. To tide you over until the official report dates, here's a few things to know about the New York Jets.
2017 record: 5-11
Training camp schedule: Rookies: July 24; Veterans: July 26
Three players to watch:Sam Darnold, Leonard Williams, Jamal Adams
Post-draft analysis, courtesy Jeremy Bergman: Joe Namath played his final game for the Jets during the final days of the Ford administration. It's been two score and two years since New York had a bona fide, without-a-doubt franchise quarterback in its ranks. So, what's another five months of waiting, right? Wrong. After a passable performance during rookie minicamp, the chatter surrounding Darnold starting Week 1 for the Jets has grown into full-blown reports. The club's stateside owner didn't do anything to quell the hype around his franchise QB, saying that people will look back on Gang Green's decision to draft Darnold as the moment "that they became a great team." Promising inevitable greatness upon unfounded evidence is all the rage these days, but are we sure the Jets should accelerate Darnold's ascension to the starting role (and, in doing so, the Jets' ascension to the ranks of the relevant)? New York spent a good amount of dollars this offseason bringing back Josh McCown -- and reeled in Teddy Bridgewater at a discount -- to provide mentorship and rookie insurance for Darnold. Unless the rook overperforms in the preseason and demonstrates an outstanding grasp of Jeremy Bates' system, it would be wasteful to not sit Darnold, who is a full voting age younger than McCown, behind the journeyman veteran in game situations for at least a quarter of the season. But Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan, who both have just two years left on their deals in Florham Park, don't have the luxury of time at their disposal.
