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Rich CiminiMar 8, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
- Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Joe Namath played his last game for the New York Jets exactly 50 years ago. Since then, the organization has experienced varying degrees of quarterback instability.
But perhaps nothing quite like the present.
The Jets are caught in the post-Aaron Rodgers/pre-(insert mystery name) era, which saw three quarterbacks start at least four games apiece last season — tied for the most by any team in a single season in NFL history.
They could have a new set of quarterbacks in 2026, and the seats at the table are expected to start filling up after free agent negotiating starts Monday (noon ET). The trade period is ongoing, but deals won’t become official until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, the start of the new league year.
The Jets hope to address their short-term needs by acquiring a bridge quarterback (or two), saving the long term for next month’s draft — or maybe next year’s draft.
Some fans want them to punt on 2026, waiting for Arch Manning, Dante Moore & Co. in the 2027 draft, but coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey need to win games after last season’s 3-14 mess.
They might not survive a “March for Arch,” so it’s imperative they choose the right veteran out of a mediocre group of options and decide whether Ty Simpson — widely regarded as the draft’s best quarterback prospect not named Fernando Mendoza — is worth New York’s second (16th overall) or third (33rd) pick.
It’s not overstating it to say these judgments will impact the franchise for several years to come. What makes it more challenging is that the Jets, who haven’t sent a quarterback to the Pro Bowl since Brett Favre in 2008, aren’t exactly a hot destination.
“You’re going into the Black Hole,” a longtime personnel executive said.
The unique thing about this year’s veteran market is that a handful of longtime starters are expected to be salary cap casualties and will be available for the minimum salary ($1.3 million) because they’re still owed massive guarantees from their soon-to-be-former teams. Ah, yes, the beauty of offset language in contracts.
Unless they sign Malik Willis, an unrestricted free agent expected to make at least $20 million per year, the Jets probably won’t have to make a financial splurge for a quarterback. Remember, they owe $10 million guaranteed to Justin Fields, who will leave a $22 million dead cap charge in the likely event of his release.
So the apparent plan is to find a veteran placeholder and reevaluate in 2027, when they can use their treasure chest of draft picks (three first-rounders) to position themselves for a quarterback.
“If it were me having five first-round picks over the next two years, I wouldn’t be in a rush to [draft] a quarterback this year, just because you have so much flexibility in this year’s draft,” ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid said. “I believe this year they just need to get those pillar pieces, those blue-chip-type players that they need to just supplement the roster that they have right now.”
Reid believes New York, with four picks in the top 44, should fill needs other than quarterback and “prepare for dropping a young quarterback in the situation in 2027.”
Mougey said he and Glenn have daily discussions with offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, both new hires, on the quarterback plan. The plan must be nuanced because it’s a multilayered challenge. You’re talking about free agents, players who could be cut and players who could be traded.
“I do feel like there’s some good options out there,” Mougey said.
Let’s look at who might be available to the Jets:
Free agents
Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew, Willis
It’s not a very attractive group. Willis is the star attraction because he played well in his cameo for the Green Bay Packers — 46 dropbacks that will result in life-changing wealth. After doling out $30 million in guarantees last year for Fields, who flopped, the Jets might want to avoid betting big on an unknown two years in a row.
Wentz, recovering from surgery on his left shoulder after going 2-3 as the Minnesota Vikings‘ starter, is on the list because of his background with Reich — two years with the Philadelphia Eagles and one year for the Indianapolis Colts. Wentz is 33 and has gone from MVP candidate (2017) to NFL journeyman, but he has played his best ball with Reich at his side and wouldn’t cost that much. That makes him the most likely preference out of this group.
Reported cap cuts
Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins
Smith, who had a rough go with the Jets from 2013 to 2016, reinvented himself with the Seattle Seahawks. His career nosedived last season with the Las Vegas Raiders — a league-leading 17 interceptions. The Jets had high grades for Smith, now 35, last offseason when the Seahawks made him available in a trade, so they appear willing to chalk up last season to a dysfunctional situation in Las Vegas.
It’s hard to imagine Smith back with the Jets after what happened in 2015 — his jaw was fractured in a locker-room fight with a teammate — but the NFL moves in strange ways. Smith is owed $18 million by the Raiders, so he can be had for the veteran minimum.
As for Murray and Tagovailoa, they’re both 28 and have started 87 and 76 games, respectively. Tagovailoa has a 4,000-yard passing season on his resume (2023) and Murray topped 3,700 yards in four different seasons. The Jets are expected to have some level of interest in both.
Now for the downside: They both lost their job last season, both have durability questions (especially Tagovailoa, with his concussion history) and both are being paid enormous sums of money not to play for the teams that drafted them.
Murray is owed $36.8 million by the Arizona Cardinals, Tagovailoa $54 million by the Miami Dolphins. What does that tell you?
There’s also the climate issue. Tagovailoa is 0-5 when the kickoff temperature is 40 degrees or less; Murray is 1-1. Those November/December games at MetLife Stadium can get nasty.
“I wish you could bottle Tua’s character and put it into Murray’s body,” said the personnel executive, citing leadership concerns with the former No. 1 overall pick.
That said, the executive believes the Jets should sign Murray because “you can win with him. There’s still enough talent there.”
Thing is, the Vikings could be his preferred team. Tagovailoa’s injury history makes him too risky, per the executive.
1:20
Why Stephen A. doesn’t want Kyler Murray to sign with the Jets
Stephen A. Smith sounds off on why he thinks the Jets should be Kyler Murray’s last option.
Could be available by trade
Jacoby Brissett, Jarrett Stidham, Mac Jones, Tanner McKee, Spencer Rattler, Tyson Bagent, Will Levis, Davis Mills, Andy Dalton, Derek Carr
A rather lengthy list of current backups, huh? This speaks to the uncertainty surrounding the Jets’ situation.
Jones probably has the most upside of this group, but the San Francisco 49ers have said they’re not interested in trading him. If they did, it probably would take at least a second-round pick. The compensation for the rest of the options wouldn’t be nearly as much.
Brissett makes sense because he started a full season for Reich (Colts, 2019) and his future with the Cardinals appears uncertain. His starting record is only 20-45, but he has played decent ball at times. After replacing Murray in Week 6, he ranked first in completions, second in passing yards and third (tied) in passing touchdowns through the rest of last season. Maybe he can be had for a Day 3 draft pick. Brissett is close with Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, who is close with Glenn. Connect the dots.
Carr, 34, who has talked about unretiring, enjoyed some of his best years when Musgrave was his offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders. But there are big questions: What’s the status of his right shoulder, so badly injured in 2024 that it forced him to retire? How would he play after a full year of inactivity? The New Orleans Saints still have his rights.
Levis, who had season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder last July, and McKee have one year remaining on their rookie contracts. McKee played well in two meaningless, late-season starts, raising the Eagles’ asking price.
Dalton, 38, who played for Reich on the 2023 Carolina Panthers, might be a fallback option for a backup role.
No matter how you look at it, it’s not an ideal situation for the Jets.
“There’s no panacea out there,” the personnel executive said. “They’re going to have to get lucky.”
