Mark Sanchez: The New York Jets Are 'in No Way Ready to Compete With the League'
Mark Sanchez thinks the New York Jets are heading in the wrong direction of what is fast becoming an endless cycle of rebuilds.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee show on Monday, Sanchez ripped into the team and the quality of their roster after an 0-3 start. In throwing a question to Sanchez about the Jets, McAfee said “I’ve never had eyes on a football team worse than them and I feel like I’ve watched a lot of bad football.”
The Jets selected Sanchez No. 6 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and dubbed him ‘The Sanchise.’ He spent four seasons with the franchise before being released in 2012 and eventually retiring in 2018.
“Here’s the problem, you start talking about rebuild, that’s becoming synonymous with the Jets right now. And I don’t know if that’s necessarily the answer,” Sanchez said.
“The problem is they missed out on a couple of free agents: [C.J.] Mosley, Le’Veon Bell just haven’t panned out for whatever reason. I don’t think it’s a talent issue, it’s an availability issue. Those guys are down. Now the other issues are [that] you’re trying to draft these kids and receivers weapons for Sam. But who’s the kid from Baylor, it’s Mims, right?? First day of training camp, boom goes down with a hamstring. He comes back a couple weeks later and he’s down again. Guys just aren’t available.”
In his first two seasons in the NFL, Sanchez led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances. In 2011, he produced a tremendous year that ranks among the best passing seasons in franchise history. Things quickly fell apart and Sanchez was driven out of town.
Like Sanchez, the Jets took Darnold in the first round out of USC. And like Sanchez again, the Jets moved up in the draft and made him a Week 1 starter as a rookie.
The expectation for both Sanchez and Darnold is that each quarterback would become a franchise player and lead the Jets to the Super Bowl. It didn’t work out that way for Sanchez, though he twice got the team close at the start of his career.
After Sunday’s 36-7 loss at the Indianapolis Colts, there are some legitimate questions about Darnold and has viability to lead the franchise. Three interceptions, including two returned for a touchdown, doomed the Jets to a second-straight blowout loss to start the season.
And while the offense is struggling with injuries – six projected starters were out for Sunday’s loss – Darnold’s mistakes underscore a lack of development in his third year in the NFL.
“You’re putting a product out there on the field that is in no way ready to compete with the league. Honestly, it is frustrating to watch and I really feel for Sam. I’ve lived it,” Sanchez said. “The last two seasons I had in New York, the rosters looked almost identical.”
