DARNOLD ERA SET TO BEGIN

As Darnold era begins, up to Bowles & Bates not to screw this up

SAM DARNOLD may or not be the Jets starting quarterback when they open their 2018 season against the Lions on Sept. 10 in Detroit. But what is certain is his era as the Jets franchise quarterback begins Thursday when the Jets report for training camp in Florham Park. Let’s hope the Jets can reverse recent history and actually get it right this time.

The Jets were fortunate enough to land Darnold with the third overall pick of the draft after the Browns took quarterback Baker Mayfield at No. 1 and the Giants scooped up running back Saquon Barkley. After a terrific collegiate career at Southern Cal, and drawing raves during the draft process, Darnold has created a lot of optimism around the Jets. That optimism lasts until you remember why the Jets needed a quarterback in the first place. It’s been more than a decade since they’ve managed to develop a young quarterback who can bring stability to the position.

The Jets quarterback position has been in flux since Chad Pennington started all 16 games in 2006. It has gotten worse since the drafting of Mark Sanchez in 2009. Sanchez, the f ifth overall pick out of Southern Cal, seemed like the answer after leading the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games before losing his confidence and his job in 2012. Then it was Geno Smith’s turn but the second-round choice in 2013 was rushed too early.

Michael Vick and Ryan Fitzpatrick were too old, while draft picks Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty never developed. Josh McCown, a virtual afterthought when training camp began last year, wound up starting 13 games before breaking

his hand.

Darnold, who is expected to sign a fully guaranteed four-year $30. 25 million contract, would seem to be a can’t-miss prospect, but if anyone knows there are no guarantees, it’s the Jets. And if there’s a dark cloud hovering over his early growth it’s that he’s playing for a defensive head coach in Todd Bowles and a new offensive coordinator in Jeremy Bates. Ideally, you might like coaches with more offensive experience tutoring a 21-year-old franchise quarterback.

As far as the other drafted quarterbacks: Mayfield has offensive minded Hue Jackson as his head coach in Cleveland. Josh Allen, the seventh-overall choice, has a defensive head coach in Sean McDermott in Buffalo, but Brian Daboll has been the offensive coordinator at Cleveland, Miami and Kansas City before joining the Bills.

Former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is the new head coach at Arizona, where Josh Rosen was made the 10th choice overall, but Rosen will be tutored by Mike McCoy, a veteran offensive assistant who served as either quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator for the Panthers and Broncos.

Bates, 41, served one season as the Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2010 and has been an offensive assistant of some sort since 2004. He was the Jets quarterback coach last year and replaces John Morton, who was fired after one season. He is the sixth offensive coordinator in the past eight seasons for the Jets and the third in four years under Bowles. It’s hard to develop quarterbacks and establish stability at the position when there has been none in the offensive coaching staff.

Rex Ryan never got a handle on the quarterback situation once Sanchez started going downhill and Bowles has been employing temporary solutions like Fitzpatrick and McCown. Hackenberg and Petty never got close to proving they were worthy of being drafted. Maybe they had talent. The coaching they received obviously didn’t help.

Bowles and Bates have to do better this time. The Jets have McCown back and Teddy Bridgewater looking fo r playing time at quarterback. They deserve a chance to put something on tape, especially if there’s no need to rush Darnold.

But Darnold’s development into a franchise quarterback starts this week. Let’s hope the Jets can get it right this time.