Todd Bowles has a secret 鈥?and he's not letting on at all.
The only thing is Oscar Dansk Jersey , everyone has a pretty good idea what it is.
The New York Jets coach won't say who his starting quarterback will be this season, despite all signs appearing to point to rookie Sam Darnold.
"I definitely won't do it today," Bowles said Sunday of an official announcement. "Sometime next week ... maybe."
Darnold has started New York's past two preseason games and appears to be the front-runner in the competition that includes incumbent Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater. The No. 3 overall draft pick has been solid this summer, impressing coaches and teammates with his decision-making and ability to quickly digest the playbook.
"As coaches, we'll meet on it and keep meeting on it," Bowles said. "I have my ideas in my head, which I'll keep to myself at this point.
"But, I have a good idea."
Bowles insisted that the decision is not something he's even struggling with. No lost moments of sleep while juggling his signal callers in his mind.
"Not really," he said. "No."
To anyone watching the Jets throughout training camp and the preseason, it would be a surprise if Darnold isn't under center when New York opens the regular season at Detroit on Sept. 10. It would seem unlikely that Darnold will get much, if any, time on the field in the preseason finale Thursday night at Philadelphia 鈥?the game when starters typically sit out.
After missing the first three days of camp while getting his contract hammered out, Darnold quickly caught up to his teammates on the field. He was third in the rotation in the preseason opener against Atlanta, but opened the past two games with the starting offense.
Bowles said he has not told any of the players yet who the starting quarterback will be. And that's OK, as far as Darnold is concerned.
"I'm not really going about my day any different than I would," Darnold said. "I'm still continuing in practice to take advantage of every opportunity I get to play football and to be able to play this position. And, continuing to do my thing and trying to be as consistent as possible and go about it that way."
From a numbers standpoint, Darnold hasn't necessarily been eye-popping this preseason. He's 29 of 45 for 244 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
It's the veteran-like way he has handled situations in the games that has been promising. Darnold has displayed an ability to make plays when the pocket collapses, while also being smart with the football.
"I mean Tyler Toffoli Jersey , I wouldn't be disappointed and I wouldn't be surprised," Darnold said of the possibility he isn't named the starter.
"Throughout my short career playing football, I've seen a lot of things," he added. "Teddy and Josh are great players, so I wouldn't be surprised. At the same time, every quarterback wants to play, but that's not my job to put the best player out there. That's Coach's job. Whether that's Josh, whether that's Teddy, whether that's me, we're just going to go out there and do the best we can."
Bridgewater has perhaps outplayed Darnold, just based on statistics, going 28 of 38 for 316 yards and two TDs and one interception. But it seems the veteran, who has proven he's healthy two years after a devastating knee injury, will be a backup 鈥?that is, if he's not traded.
"I'm living in the now," Bridgewater said. "I'm taking advantage of this opportunity I have right now."
Meanwhile, McCown has thrown just one pass, a 4-yard completion, in one series this preseason. It was similar to last summer when the 39-year-old veteran got limited work while the Jets evaluated their young QBs. McCown still ended up being the starter when neither Christian Hackenberg nor Bryce Petty distinguished himself.
This year Womens Charlie McAvoy Jersey , though, Darnold and Bridgewater have given Bowles and his coaches plenty to consider.
"I don't think it happens in a week," Bowles said of the decision. "It happens throughout the course of the spring and summer. I'll always get their opinion. This is not a state-of-the-union-type of thing. I think they have a feel for where I am from a coaching standpoint and you tell the players when you tell the players and kind of go from there."
NOTES: Bowles said WR Jermaine Kearse (abdomen) is considered "day to day, week to week." It's uncertain if Kearse, who led the team with 65 catches last season, will be ready for the season opener. ... Second-year RB Elijah McGuire (foot) won't be ready for the start of the regular season and Bowles wouldn't rule out putting him on short-term IR.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons trimmed their roster for the regular season, keeping all six draft picks and three other rookie free agents.
Strong performances in the preseason earned offensive lineman Matt Gono, linebacker Richard Dewey Jarvis and defensive lineman Justin Zimmer spots on the 52-player roster announced Saturday.
There were no major surprises as the Falcons cut 37 players and reached injury settlements with two others. The most prominent name to get axed was offensive guard Sean Hawlow, a fourth-round pick in 2017.
The Falcons kept everyone from this year’s draft class: receiver Calvin Ridley , cornerback Isaiah Oliver, defensive tackle Deadrin Senat, running back Ito Smith, receiver Russell Gage and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun.
Atlanta has 52 players on its roster, one under the limit. The Falcons open a season of high expectations Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Falcons roster for 2018:
OFFENSE
QB — Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub
RB — Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Ito Smith
FB — Ricky Ortiz
WR — Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu Womens Philip Rivers Jersey , Calvin Ridley, Justin Hardy, Marvin Hall, Russell Gage
C — Alex Mack
G — Andy Levitre, Brandon Fusco, Wes Schweitzer, Ben Garland,
T — Jake Matthew, Ryan Schraeder, Ty Sambrailo, Matt Gono
TE — Austin Hooper, Logan Paulsen, Eric Saubert
DEFENSE
E — Takk McKinley, Vic Beasley Jr., Brooks Reed, Derrick Shelby
T — Grady Jarrett, Terrell McClain, Deadrin Senat, Jack Crawford Terrance Williams Jersey , Justin Zimmer
LB — Deion Jones, De’Vondre Campbell, Duke Riley, Kemal Ishmael, Foyesade Oluokun, Richard Dewey Jarvis
CB — Robert Alford, Desmond Trufant, Brian Poole, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Isaiah Oliver, Justin Bethel
S — Ricardo Allen, Keanu Neal, Jordan Richards, Damontae Kazee
SPECIAL TEAMS
K — Matt Bryant
P — Matt Bosher
LS — Josh Harris
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