The New York Jets could look to the trade market this offseason to fill the team's hole at quarterback and have a host of options, led by Jacoby Brissett, for the vacant job
10:23 ET, 08 Mar 2026
Jacoby Brissett
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Jacoby Brissett and Kirk Cousins could be options for the Jets under center in 2026(Image: Getty Images)
Once again, the New York Jets enter an offseason full of question marks at the quarterback position. 2025 free-agent signing Justin Fields was poor in his loan year as a starter, and the team will likely look for a new veteran under center for the 2026 campaign.
After QB Dante Moore decided to stay at Oregon for another year, the Jets don't have a logical signal caller to draft with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Top cut-candidate Kyler Murray, expected to be released imminently by the Arizona Cardinals, seems likely to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. Top free agent Malik Willis will likely command a multi-year deal worth more than $25 million annually, likely taking New York out of the running.
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With a draft pick and the two top free agents out of the running, here are five other candidates the Jets could look to. Note: Many have ties to the new offensive coordinator, Frank Reich.
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
33-year-old Brissett is still under contract with the Cardinals for another season and could well be the team's starter next year, having thrown for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns in 12 starts in 2025 (going 1-11)
He has a $4.8 million base salary and could be available for a mid-round pick if Arizona opts to go with a rookie quarterback (or a veteran like Malik Willis). Also, he was Reich's starter with the Indianapolis Colts in 2019.
Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Jones was brilliant as the 49ers' backup in 2025, throwing for 21,51 yards with a 13-6 touchdown-interception ratio and a 62.3 QBR that ranked 10th in the NFL.
Mac Jones
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Mac Jones is a trendy trade target this offseason(Image: Getty Images)
Bill Simmons of The Ringer floated that the Jets should trade the 33rd pick in the 2026 draft for Jones, under contract with a $1.4 million base salary in 2026. However, San Francisco may demand more for the former New England Patriots first-round choice.
Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles
McKee, 25, has only two starts for the Eagles (1-1): he's appeared in six games and completed 54 of 88 passes for 597 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He's a preseason killer and works under Nick Sirianni, Reich's offensive coordinator in Indianapolis from 2018 to 2020. The Eagles could be tempted to move their backup for a Day Two pick.
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
25-year-old former fifth-round pick Rattler already has 14 career NFL starts, though he has just a 1-13 record playing for the moribund Saints.
He was 1-7 last year and lost his job to Tyler Shough, but Rattler completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 1,586 tards with an 8-5 touchdown-interception ratio. New Orleans could hope to fetch a mid-round pickup for a player destined for their bench.
Carson Wentz, free agent
The only free agent on this list, Wentz's was Reich's star pupil when the coach was the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2017. Since leaving the city of brotherly love, the former second-overall pick has toiled as a backup in various stops. SNY reporter Connor Hughes thinks Wentz, now 33, is a dark horse.
"Wentz might surprise some, because of the notion Frank Reich/Wentz relationship fell apart in Indianapolis," he tweeted. "From my understanding, that was more GM/owner, not coach. The two remain very close. One source told me that the QB Reich prefers is Wentz. A quote from another: "No one loves Wentz more than Frank."
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Honorable mentions: Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota, Tua Tagovailoa.