Carson Wentz
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Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz on October 23, 2025.
The New York Jets are very publicly looking for a new quarterback for the 2026 season, though that QB may not come in the draft. With the Las Vegas Raiders expected to take Fernando Mendoza first overall, the QB class drops off significantly after him.
So, New York seems to be looking for a stop-gap at the position this season. According to Connor Hughes of SNY, the Jets new offensive coordinator, Frank Reich, is especially high on one former MVP candidate currently on the market.
That player is none other than the superstar-turned-journeyman Carson Wentz, who has played for five different teams in the last five seasons.
“Wentz, two sources told SNY, is believed to be Reich’s preferred option,” Hughes wrote. “The two have a longstanding relationship dating back to Reich’s time as Wentz’s offensive coordinator in Philadelphia from 2016-17. Wentz’s best season came under Reich in Year 2, when he went 11-2 and threw for 3,296 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. An MVP frontrunner, Wentz tore his ACL against the Rams in Week 13.”
Wentz was also a starter under Reich in Indianapolis in 2021, when he was the Colts head coach. Wentz led the team to a 9-8 record, putting up decent numbers with 3,563 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions.
Reich Interested in Wentz for Jets in 2026
Reich was hired as the Jets new offensive coordinator in early February, after New York decided to move on from Tanner Engstrand after just one season. Engstrand was not successful in his role, especially in the passing aspect. Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook threw for the fewest team passing yards in the NFL at 2,784. Jets quarterbacks only threw 15 touchdown passes on the season.
Reich has a history of decent success in the league, which should lead to better results for the Jets in 2026, especially if he gets a capable quarterback like Wentz to work with.
After his five seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback ended in 2020, Wentz had one full season as a starter with Reich and the Colts, but in the four years following that, he’s been with four different teams as a backup. He started seven games with the Washington Commanders in 2022, one with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, one with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024, and five with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025.
So, it’s been a while since Wentz was a legitimate starter in the league
Wentz’s Market Value in Free Agency
So here’s the good news about Wentz: he signed a one year deal with the Vikings last season worth $1.4 million, very cheap. The Jets have over $73 million in cap space, so if they get Wentz at a similar number, they could afford about 52 Carson Wentz’s, if my math is correct.
Look, it’s going to be a process to build this organization back up. The Jets have been bad for so long that another year of sucky football under a washed up QB won’t kill anyone. The way I see it is either Wentz plays decent, which he is still capable of, or he’s horrible and New York tanks to get Arch Manning in 2027.
A win-win.