Trade Fallout

Rookie Sam Darnold wouldn't be starting his sixth consecutive game for the Jets this weekend had not GM Mike Maccagnan consummated a blockbuster trade with the Colts on St. Patrick's Day. More than a month prior to April's draft, Maccagnan sent his No. 6 overall selection along with two second-round picks (No. 37 and No. 49 overall) in addition to a 2019 second-rounder to Indy in order to move up three slots and obtain the No. 3 overall selection. The Jets wanted a quarterback and the Colts, with their star signal caller on the mend, wanted to stockpile picks.

While the trade will be evaluated for years, this one seems like a win-win for both clubs. Darnold has been steady early, completing 55.7 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. The Colts were confident in Andrew Luck's health and the 29-year-old has been brilliant while leading a rebuilding team.

Despite playing with a surgically-repaired shoulder, Luck is on pace to throw for 4,771 yards and 38 touchdown passes. With the compensation from the Jets, the Colts went to work on helping Luck up front with the additions of offensive linemen Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame) and Braden Smith (Auburn) with the No. 6 and No. 27 selections. Nelson has received good reviews and Smith actually moved outside to start at tackle against the Patriots. The Horsehoses traded out of the 49th selection, moving back and picking up DE Kemoko Turay (Rutgers) with 52nd selection and gaining a fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles. Turay has racked up two sacks in his first five pro games.

"You spend a lot of time looking at previous draft compensations or movements or stuff like that," Maccagnan said more than a month before landing Darnold. "Again, for us going forward, the idea of keeping our one was an important thing for us. The twos this year and the two next year, it's a price, but we felt good about the one going forward."

Same Guy

By just being himself, Darnold has already won over the locker room. During the Jets' 34-16 Week 5 triumph over the Denver Broncos, Darnold had the first three-touchdown day of his career. He made efficient work of his 10 completions by featuring Robby Anderson down the field, hooking up with the burner three times for 123 yards with a pair of scores.