Sports News With The NFL

The waiting game didn’t last long. Neither did patience. The four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 draft will all be starters as Week 3 arrives.

That was quick.

Sam Darnold won the New York Jets’ job in training camp and started in Week 1. That was his best effort so far and the holes in his game left over from college (interceptions, fumbles) are becoming a little more evident. He’d be in a better spot if the Jets had more weapons, but they don’t.

Joining him as a starter in Week 2 was the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen. Despite his three fumbles, the Bills upset the Minnesota Vikings 27-6 on the road on Sunday and they seem to like his leadership.

Baker Mayfield, the overall No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Browns, relieved Tyrod Taylor last week and led the team to its first victory since 2016. He was declared the starter on Monday. And so was Josh Rosen, the 10th pick overall by the Arizona Cardinals, who stepped in for Sam Bradford on Sunday.

“Josh is our starter and it’s his job to lose,” rookie coach Steve Wilks said. Hey, when you’re 0-3 and have scored 20 points, why not go all in?

Bradford, of course, was the overall No. 1 pick in 2010. That is so long ago in NFL terms that the team that chose him, the St. Louis Rams, has moved to Los Angeles, and Bradford has played for the Eagles and Vikings as well as the Cardinals. He’s a walking injury report who has essentially flopped everywhere he’s been.

This typist favors a little more watchful waiting before dropping rookies into the fray, but no fault can be found in most of these cases. Mayfield so electrified the Browns and the fans last Thursday that he doesn’t belong on the bench. Allen is tough and strong and he is also not Nathan Peterman. Darnold? Well, the Jets could turn to Josh McCown, but he’s 39 and not tomorrow’s answer. Rosen? He’ll get a hard education on a bad team.

Every player gets a “welcome to the NFL” moment. Two more rookie quarterbacks are joining the club. Good luck storming the castle, boys.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman