The New York Jets have traded quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Panthers are returning a sixth-round pick in 2021 to the Jets, along with second- and fourth-round selections in 2022.
The trade signals the Jets are all in on selecting a quarterback with the second-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. It clears up one question in front of the Miami Dolphins’ pick, the sixth-overall selection, with some belief the Jets could have opted to keep Darnold this year, using their pick to add offensive weapons around him. Now with Darnold heading to Carolina, the Jets are obviously selecting a quarterback.
The trade does, however, remove a quarterback-needy team from behind the Dolphins. The Panthers are scheduled to select eighth in this month’s Draft and likely will not be looking to grab a quarterback now. Miami could have looked to the Panthers as a potential trade partner if Miami wanted to trade back again in the Draft, adding more picks in the process.
For more on the trade, check out Jets team site Gang Green Nation and Panthers team site Cat Scratch Reader.