The New York Jets have been undergoing some major changes this offseason, bringing in a lot of veterans to bolster the defense and trading for Geno Smith to be the new starting quarterback in 2026.
All of those moves are big for the Jets, but none are as important as Smith's addition. He's going to be a solid starting quarterback for the Jets, a team with plenty of draft capital over the next two classes.
While Smith is a solid starter, he's not the future for New York. Instead, as ESPN's Rich Cimini writes, the Jets are believed to have a plan at QB for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft that will have major ramifications for the Jets and the NFL.
Jets QB plan in 2026 NFL Draft is big news
"The low-cost trade for Smith (only $3.3 million in salary) reinforces the belief that the Jets are waiting for the 2027 draft to find their long-term solution at QB," Cimini writes.
It would not be a major surprise if the Jets made a major move to draft a quarterback other than Fernando Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, Cimini's commentary suggests that the plan for Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey is another year away for the quarterback position.
Barring Ty Simpson blowing the Jets away or some other quarterback being so impressive, the Jets are not likely to spend a high draft pick on a quarterback.
More: Jets traded for Geno Smith instead of signing him in free agency to avoid worst-case-scenario
The 2027 NFL Draft is expected to be a lot better for rookie quarterbacks, and with three first-rounders, the Jets will have plenty of ammo to trade up if needed.
And if the Jets finish last, or the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, or Dallas Cowboys have a terrible season, the Jets would have a very high draft pick or two to use on a quarterback next year.
The Jets are more likely to pass on a quarterback this offseason to focus on the 2027 NFL Draft. It makes sense, but this plan would have a major impact on the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the Jets planning to pass on their long-term QB solution this offseason, there will be plenty of interesting quarterbacks made available for teams looking for their own potential long-term quarterback options this offseason.
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