If things had gone differently at the top of the 2018 NFL Draft, Brian Daboll might have coached Sam Darnold.
Will Darnold approach the success that Josh Allen enjoyed during his six seasons with the Bills’ stable, as well as allowing Daboll to ascend from offensive coordinator to head coach of the Giants?
Or will Darnold still fail to meet high expectations and send Daboll blazing on the same nomadic path himself?
The answer will never be known, but Daboll won’t underestimate Darnold’s potential in his Vikings debut Sunday against the Giants in the home of familiar MetLife Stadium.
“I know he’s been in four different places,” Daboll said, “but he’s an athletic quarterback with a good head on his shoulders — knows where the football is going. He’s surrounded by some really good players in Minnesota, and experience helps in any position. I’ve been a big fan of Sam, and he’s got a great team around him, great players, and it’s definitely going to be a challenge.
Daboll and Giants general manager Joe Schoen — Buffalo’s assistant general manager at the time — “spent a lot of time” with Darnold at practices, meetings and private dinners during the 2018 season.
The Browns selected Baker Mayfield at No. 1, the Giants passed on the quarterback all the way to Saquon Barkley at No. 2, the Jets took Darnold at No. 3 and the Bills eventually traded up twice to reach No. 7 for Allen.
Daboll believes the continuity of coaches and offensive schemes can be clear about first-round quarterbacks and those who are missed, as seen on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
Using the 2018 class as an example, Mayfield, Darnold and the Cardinals’ Josh Rosen all experienced coaching changes after their rookie seasons and became journeymen, while Allen and the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson are perennial MVP candidates still playing for their first head coaches.
“Every organization is different,” Daboll said. “I don’t want to speak for the other team.”
Daboll’s track record shows patience in an impatient league. He developed Allen from a raw rookie into a promising player for a playoff team in 2019 and an MVP runner-up in 2020.
This is Daboll’s third season coach Daniel Jones, who is at the make or break point of his career. The reason Daboll looked into the history of first-round quarterbacks is the strong consideration the Giants gave to drafting Jones’ replacement in April.
One of the Giants’ quarterbacks opted out of the draft to go to the Vikings, but rookie JJ McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in August.
It handed the starting job to Darnold, who went 13-25 for the Jets — before being replaced by Zach Wilson — and 8-10 for the Panthers and 49ers since then.
“They have a skill set that you think they can develop,” Daboll said of sticking with quarterbacks Allen and Jones. “You continue to work with them and do everything you can do – whether it’s design, whether it’s a group of personnel, whether it’s different types of play that they feel good about. It’s consistent communication and understanding of the system.
“There are a lot of people who come into this position. It’s not an easy position to play or coach. Again, every player is different. I had a few guys here a few years ago who stuck around and played good football.
Daboll did not provide an injury update Monday, delaying the official report Wednesday. … TE/FB Jakob Johnson was re-signed to the practice squad and WR Miles Boykin — special teams ace — was released.
