The New York Jets have put together a huge offseason so far. They've completely revamped their defense with additions of players like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Nahshon Wright, T'Vondre Sweat, and Demario Davis.
On offense, the Jets have landed their new quarterback in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders that brought Geno Smith to New York. On Monday, they made another big move by agreeing to a trade that would send Justin Fields and $7 million to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2027 sixth round pick. Now the Jets need to work on replacing Fields in the quarterback room, though Smith is expected to start either way.
FOX Sports' Joel Klatt recently [put together a mock draft for the first round](https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/2026-nfl-mock-draft-jets-get-qb-cowboys-snag-drafts-no-1-defensive-player/ar-AA1YLrtw?ocid=BingNewsVerp) of the 2026 NFL Draft. After projecting the Jets to land Ohio State edge rusher at pick No. 2, Klatt projected they would select Fields' replacement at pick No. 16 by landing Alabama signal caller Ty Simpson.
Ty Simpson is an intriguing NFL draft option for Jets
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Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball against Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Mario Landino (97) on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, during the 112th annual Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. Indiana Hoosiers defeated Alabama Crimson Tide, 38-3. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
"The Jets got Geno Smith in a trade with the Raiders this past week. Let’s be real, though, New York shouldn't be saying, 'We’re all set' at quarterback after that move," Klatt wrote. "I can’t get Simpson out of my head, either. My knock on Simpson isn’t his size, because he can make throws outside the hashes and down the field, but that he only started for one season in college. However, with Smith in tow, Simpson doesn’t need to start right away. He also played well in some big moments, like at Georgia and at Oklahoma this past season."
Simpson could be worth at flier at pick No. 33 or pick No. 44, but I feel like it would be a reach to take him at pick No. 16 because they Jets need to draft a wide receiver. If Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson are on the board at pick No. 16, the Jets should opt for them instead of Simpson.
But if the Jets can land Simpson in the second round, it would be a dream come true. He has the arm talent and size to compete in the NFL, despite some critics of his game. He needs to sit and develop for another year or two, which would perfectly align with the Jets rebuild.
Simpson could sit behind Smith for a year or two. By the time Simpson ever takes the field, the Jets will have used all of their top first and second round picks that they acquired in the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades.