March 8, 2026, 7:45 a.m. ET
The 2026 NFL offseason has officially begun and the New York Jets will look to improve on a disastrous 3-14 season in Aaron Glenn’s first year as head coach. Glenn recently overhauled his coaching staff and now it’s time to overhaul the roster as he’ll need to show massive improvement in 2026 if he wants to have a job in 2027.
Jets Wire will break down each position on the roster to see if improvements are needed and the possible solutions to fix what’s broken.
For our next breakdown, we look at the most important position on the roster. The one area that the Jets have yet to find a long-term solution either by trade, free agency or the draft: Quarterback.
Quarterback Depth Chart
Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, Brady Cook
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
2025 Review
The Jets took a calculated gamble last season at quarterback giving Fields a two-year, $40 million contract and $30 million guaranteed. Fields was a dual-threat quarterback the Jets have never had and his ability to keep plays alive using his legs was supposed to bring an exciting element the team hasn’t had in quite some time. But, after a Week 1 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers where Fields was brilliant, it didn’t take long for it to all fall apart.
Fields had his moments of brilliance, but was brutal for most of the season until he was benched in favor of Taylor. He had the worst passing numbers of his career, often times looked petrified to throw the football and took way too many unnecessary sacks. He became a major liability and there were reports that players felt Taylor gave the team a better chance to win.Â
Taylor stepped in for Fields and with him at quarterback, the offense showed signs of life with his ability to get the ball downfield. But, he suffered a knee injury early in the first quarter at home against Miami and that basically took the wind out of the team’s sail the rest of the season.Â
Glenn waved the white flag and opted to play Cook, an undrafted free agent that made the team out of training camp. Cook looked overmatched from the start and, while it wasn’t entirely his fault as the team basically quit, it was still a disaster and very tough to watch each week.
How Can The Jets Improve This Position?
Free Agency
The possibilities are endless as to who is available to help the Jets at the most important position on the field. But, that doesn’t necessarily make them great options either. Daniel Jones is the top quarterback available in free agency, but he’s probably not going anywhere as the Indianapolis Colts placed the transition tag on him and can match any offer from any team.
Things got interesting this week as the Arizona Cardinals released Kyler Murray and the Las Vegas Raiders announced they will part ways with Geno Smith when the new league year begins on Wednesday. While there have been questions about Murray’s work ethic as well as his injury history, he’s still only 28 years old and could benefit from a change of scenery.Â
Smith struggled in his only year with the Raiders, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. He had one of the worst offensive lines in the league and lost his top receiving option, tight end Brock Bowers, for most of the year due to injury. Smith still threw 19 touchdowns but also had 17 interceptions. But let’s not forget how good Smith was in Seattle where he threw for over 4,000 yards in two of his last three seasons with the Seahawks.Â
Other quarterback options include Marcus Mariota, Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz. If offensive coordinator Frank Reich has his way, Wentz could be a strong possibility. He had one of the best seasons of his career under Reich while in Indianapolis, throwing for 3,500 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2021. Wentz was with Minnesota last year and played through a dislocated shoulder as well as a torn labrum in a Week 5 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers before being shut down for the year.
If the Jets prefer to go the trade route, Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett, Philadelphia’s Tanner McKee and Houston’s Davis Mills are all possibilities. Brissett also played for Reich in Indianapolis and put up good numbers. McKee and Mills don’t seem likely as options not because of their ability, but more because the asking price from the Eagles and Texans is reportedly very high.
The 2026 Draft
The Jets will probably select a quarterback in April’s NFL draft, but none of the options available after the Raiders select Fernando Mendoza are ready to start in their rookie seasons.
There’s been plenty of buzz surrounding Alabama’s Ty Simpson with the Jets potentially selecting him at #16. There will be other teams interested in Simpson and if they really want him, they will most likely have to select him in the first round. Other options include LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar and Miami’s Carson Beck.
Way Too Early 2026 Prediction
It’s really tough to make a prediction because there are so many different quarterbacks linked to the Jets and they’ve been pretty good at keeping their conversations internal. One thing we know for certain is Reich likes bigger quarterbacks which means a player like Murray is probably not an option. At the same time, Aaron Glenn needs to win this season if he wants to keep his job, Murray could be the best option available. We shouldn’t forget the X-Factor in the decision-making process, owner Woody Johnson.  He may prefer the flashier name instead of a logical fit for the offense in an attempt to boost ticket sales.
A quarterback like McKee or Mills may make the most sense. Both are on the younger side with McKee being 26 and Mills turning 28 in October. But, if they find success with either player this year, the need for a quarterback in next year’s draft goes down and the Jets can focus on improving other areas of the team. While the sample size for each player is small, the numbers have still been impressive and both seem like better options than the other quarterbacks available. It ultimately depends on whether the Jets feel either is worthy of a Day 2 pick.
Reports surrounding the direction the Jets are heading in are all over the place. Murray was rumored to be the favorite before he was released. Other reports say they’re looking into Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa should he get released. SNY’s Connor Hughes is reporting that Reich prefers Wentz to be his quarterback. Fans and Jets Media can speculate all they want, but there’s no way to know what direction they are headed.
There will most likely be three new quarterbacks on the roster in 2026. Fields is almost certain to be released and designated as a post June 1st cut to spread the cap hit over two years. The team loves Taylor, but he’ll get offers from other teams or could retire due to injuries. Cook proved over the last five games of the season he’s not a competent option.
Expect the Jets to add two veteran quarterbacks and a rookie with one of their many Day three picks. Some combination of Smith, Murray, Wentz and Mariota to go along with any of Nussmeier, Allar or Beck. Whether Glenn and Mougey care to admit it, this decision is the most important to the team’s success this season and for their futures with the organization.