Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but the NFL offseason is about to kick off and the New York Jets will be in search of a quarterback.  Yes, for what feels like the 100th consecutive offseason, quarterback sits atop the Jets list of needs.

This time around, with an extraordinarily thin quarterback market, the Jets will essentially have two choices at quarterback.  They can go with a proven veteran who has shown their ceiling to be six or seven wins.  Then there are the unproven QB’s who are young, who have flashed and may get better with increased opportunities.

And of course, there are a few names that Jets reportedly have, or at least should, rule out entirely.

Sam Howell: 

Howell has started just 17 career games, but has had some impressive outings.  In seven of his 17 starts he has thrown for at least 290 yards while racking up 300 yards on the ground.  This isn’t to say the Jets should look to add Howell and hand him a starting job, but he should certainly be an option to come in and compete.

Will Levis:

Chosen with the first pick in round 2 (33rd overall) in the 2023 draft, Levis is now nailed to the bench in Tennessee with Cam Ward holding the starting job.  There are plenty of questions surrounding Levis who has gone 5-16 as a starter thus far.  But with an actual QB guru in the building in Frank Reich, Levis may be worth bringing in for a look.

Tyson Bagent: 

Bagent stood out at the 2023 senior bowl and got on the field as a rookie for the Bears, going 2-2 and showing excellent poise.  He’s unlikely to become a high level starter, but getting a look at him would bring  more value than getting a look at many of the longer tenured veterans being mentioned.  Take for example….

Carson Wentz: 

A former first-round pick and MVP candidate, Wentz’s best days are a distant memory.  His familiarity with Frank Reich’s offense have led to some mentioning his name, but at this point in his career he’s a beaten up veteran who has a difficult time staying on the field and will likely win you no more than five or six games.

Jacoby Brissett: 

Another veteran who has already played for Frank Reich, Brissett owns a career record of 20-45 and has never won more than seven games in a season and that was back in 2019.  Another veteran who likely tops out at six wins and leaves you no better off next offseason than you are today.

Marcus Mariota:

Mariota won a career high nine games but that was the better part of a decade ago.  He was last a starting QB back in 2022 when he went 5-8 which is about where his ceiling is.  If the Jets can win five games with a dead end veteran, why not look in another direction.

Now there is another category of QB but these are true long shots for the Jets.  There are a pair of veterans who will offer great bang for buck or production that could make you competitive, but there are issues.

Derek Carr:

There have been whispers that the Jets like Carr and believe he can be had if they want him badly enough.  Problem is, as of right now he’s still retired.  Should he opt to come to the Jets in the coming weeks though, that would give the Jets a proven veteran who has been a pro bowler and has some years left in him.

Kyler Murray:

There are a million reasons not to sigh Murray, but there’s one very good one why they should.  Malik Willis may be the best free agent on the market, but Rich Cimini of ESPN New York says Gang Green won’t look to make a big splash.  If Cimini is right, the next best QB on the market will be Murray, whose contract calls for him to make the veteran minimum in 2026.  You won’t find better value anywhere.

While pundits, insiders and fans all try to figure out what Gang Green will do on draft day, it’s worth considering which current Jets could have the biggest impact on they do when they’re on the clock.

The general consensus appears to be that most believe a premium pick will be used to add a wide receiver given the lack of playmakers after Garrett Wilson at the position,  At the same time, the though of adding a cornerback early on won’t be in the cards.  Could we be wrong on both counts?  The Jets have plenty of questions to address, but some of the answers may already be in place.

WR AD Mitchell: 

By adding Mitchell in the Sauce Gardner trade last season, the Jets brought in a 6′ 2” pass catcher who ran a 4.34 40 and had plenty of quality tape against high level competition.  Of course he did very little with the Jets, but you can’t name a receiver who would have been productive with the level of play the Jets had at quarterback.

Mitchell impressed when given a shot and absolutely has the ability to be a WR2.  Hell, in time he could develop into a WR1.  So do the Jets use a top 100 pick on a position if they believe internally that they aren’t desperate to add?

CB Jarvis Brownlee:

Brownlee was an in-season addition in a day 3 pick swap with the Titans.  Tennessee was willing to give up on the second-year corner because he couldn’t shake his tendency to commit penalties.   Brownlee had a few positive moments with the Jets, but also committed several penalties which could raise some red flags.

Many fans seem to be comfortable with the idea of Brownlee being the team’s starting nickel, but if Aaron Glenn is looking to field a disciplined football team, could Brownlee’s penchant for getting dinged lead the team to look for a slot in the draft?

C Josh Myers:

Myers did a serviceable job at center last season which did lead him to inking a 2-year extension worth up to $11 million. It’s starter money, but hardly breaking the bank.  Do the Jets feel comfortable enough with Myers to forego the opportunity to grab a potential starter in a deep center class?  Our expectation is that the Jets take a center in the middle rounds who can compete for the starting job as Myers is hardly irreplaceable.

The first day of workouts at the NFL combine in Indianapolis yielded some impressive on-field results to go along with a “controversy” involving Jets head coach Aaron Glenn.

On hand to observe this year’s prospects, Glenn was caught by NFL network cameras in the booth with Glenn appearing to be “asleep” for five seconds before popping his head up and fans did not react well.  Outraged Jets supporters called it embarrassing, a joke, and a fireable offense.

Upon further review however, it did appear Aaron Glenn may have been looking down at a phone or tablet in front of him.  And even if he did nod off for a second, go ahead and watch his comments at the podium from the previous day.  You could hear in Glenn’s voice that he was either coming down with or getting over an illness of some kind.  If that meant he didn’t watch somebody run 40 yards in a straight line in their pajamas, so be it.  There are far more important things to worry about in Indy.

As far as the players who did pop on the first day of workouts, Ohio State won the day as linebacker Sonny Styles stole the show while projected top five pick Arvell Reese wasn’t far behind.  Styles checked in at 4.46 in the 40 while jumping out of the building with a 43.5” vertical, a 11′ 2” broad jump and a 1.56 10-yard split. Combining his film with his workouts mean any notion of Styles falling to the Jets at sixteen is not happening.

Meanwhile, Reese, who many project to the Jets with pick number two, ran a blazing 4.46 40 at 241 pounds

Some other noteworthy performers in Indy:

In their first major move of the offseason, the New York Jets have shipped defensive end Jermaine Johnson off to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for massive nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat.  Johnson, a former first-round pick and true fan favorite, will be reunited with Robert Saleh who now has the head coaching job for the Titans.

By adding T’Vondre Sweat, the Jets bring in a 350+ pound nose tackle who has not disappointed since entering the league two years ago out of the University of Texas as a second-round pick.

Graded by the folks at PFF at 83.4 for his overall grade, and 79.3 against the run.  That’s where the Jets hope he’ll pay off most as their defense was consistently steamrolled by opposing running backs last season.  The deal also appears to answer one very important question for the Jets this offseason.

By adding T’Vondre Sweat and moving on from Jermaine Johnson, one would assume Gang Green will be shifting to a 3-4 base defense.  That’s not to say Sweat couldn’t dominate in a 4-3, but this is the perfect first move a team would make if they were looking to add a true space eater to anchor a 3-4.

The move may also give us some idea as to what Gang Green will look to do in the draft, as any undersized defensive ends may not be in the picture while the priority on adding bigger linebackers and ends comes in to focus.

Making the switch from Johnson to Sweat will also add roughly $10 million in cap space for the Jets as free agency approaches.

The NFL combine hasn’t even really started yet but that isn’t stopping “silly season” from getting under way as multiple rumors have already surfaced in regards to the Jets QB situation.

While Matt Lombardo said on one hand that the Jets are expected to go hard after quarterback Malik Willis, Tony Pauline played the flip side of that coin and said the Jets are expected to pinch their pennies in pursuit of a QB along the lines of Davis Mills or Tanne McKee.  Two polar opposite takes in the span of a few hours.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport says he wouldn’t be surprised if Willis were to command up to $35 million per year.  That would be a sizeable number for Willis, but based on what young starting quarterbacks make in 2025, it’s not all that far-fetched.  Now of course the Jets could go cheaper and sign somebody like Mills, who completed 57% of his passes in 3 starts last season, but then you’re stuck with Davis Mills as your quarterback.

How the Jets approach the quarterback situation and the draft this season should give us some idea as to just how much urgency there is out of 1 Jets Drive to end the team’s playoff drought.  Should they add a player of Mills or McKee’s stature, it would suggest there’s no rush to make the postseason.

On draft day, an immediate impact starter with no real question marks such as safety Caleb Downs would suggest urgency to get better, whereas drafting a longer-term project such as Arvell Reese would tell us they’re not as concerned with immediate results.  Now, this isn’t to say Reese doesn’t have the ability to be an all-world player, because he certainly does.  But most seem to believe he’ll move around a bit between linebacker and edge rusher over his first couple of seasons before settling in at any one spot.  If the Jets share that vision and take him at two, it shows more of a long-term goal of success versus trying to win right now.

With the NFL combine now just a few days away, we thought it might be a good idea to throw out a few names we’re looking forward to watching and we think the Jets brass should be too.

Of course there are the big names such as edge rushers David Bailey and Rueben Bain along with linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs.  But who are some of the prospects who aren’t being mocked to the Jets by every pundit, fan or insider?  Let’s take a look.

QB Drew Allar, Penn State: Allar is a tough watch when  you turn on the film.  Sloppy mechanics lead to often wildy inconsistent play at quarterback.  However, Frank Reich is said to be looking to land a tall QB who can work from the pocket which does describe Allar.  If Reich believes he can fix what’s wrong with Allar, he may be a developmental QB the Jets target.

QB Taylen Green, Arkansas: We loved Green coming in to this season as we anticipated another step forward in his growth, but like Allar, his consistency left plenty to be desired.  Green’s footwork will often get sloppy and he tends to leave his feet when throwing the ball down the field for no apparent reason.  But he’s a QB who has what both Reich and head coach Aaron Glenn covet at the postion.  Reich wants a tall QB with a strong arm, while Glenn wants a QB who can beat you with his legs.  Green can do both when he’s on.

RB Emmett Johnson, Nebraska: With Breece Hall’s future up in the air and Braelon Allen coming off of a major injury, might the Jets look at a running back?  If so, Johnson should be under consideration.  His ability to fit through small holes while evading multiple defenders gives you a guy who can take the smallest crease and grab you 7 or 8 yards in a spot where most backs might give you 1 or 2.

WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M: Concepcion has struggled with drops over the course of his college career, but he also brings electric speed and versatility to the position.  A guy who would serve primarily as a slot receiver, we’d be willing to bet Concepcion could be effective on the boundary as well.  Expect Concepcion to test extremely well this week.

WR Brenen Thompson, Ole Miss: Expected to be the fastest player in Indy, Thompson’s size will scare some team’s off as he’s currently listed at 5′ 9”, but his play making ability will get him plenty of attention.  Adding Thompson to any offense will bring considerable juice.

TE RJ Maryland, SMU: We loved Maryland’s game back in 2024 with SMU before he suffered a season-ending injury after seven games.  He’s probably one of the bigger “under the radar” prospects who can boost his stock in Indy with a strong showing.

OG Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M: Vega Ioane is a guy who should be at the top of the Jets options with pick sixteen, but if they pass in that spot and are still looking to add a guard, Bisontis in round 2 wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Expect a solid showing on the bench press.

C Logan Jones, Iowa: The Jets should be looking to upgrade at center with such a deep class and in all honesty, Jones would be our first choice.  The Iowa product showed great movement on film over the past couple of seasons so we expect a solid showing for all 32 teams at the combine.  His teammate Beau Stephens, a guard at Iowa, should be another option for the Jets in the middle rounds.

DT Nick Barrett, South Carolina: The Jets will need to beef up their interior defensive line and Barrett is an powerful, explosive option.  Very curious to see how he fares on the vertical and broad jumps along with bench press.

With the internet officially in “pump out a million mocks a day” mode, it seems a pair of players consistently land with the Jets.  We scrolled though about a dozen mock drafts from prominent outlets and each and every time, the Jets spent the second pick on Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain.  Both would fill an immediate need for Gang Green, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few other options that shouldn’t be ruled out.

S Caleb Downs, Ohio State: 

The Jets have two noteworthy problems on defense that must be addressed.  The first problem is that they can’t stop the run.  Of greater importance in today’s game, they also can’t stop the pass.  Not the ideal situation.  So how many players in this class can legitimately do both at a consistently high level?  By our estimates, there is one.  Caleb Downs.

Rarely get as pumped about a safety prospect as I am about Caleb Downs. Should be one of the top defenders in the country and a lock to go in the first round. pic.twitter.com/KoyUL2ypOu

— Glenn Naughton (@JetsPicks) June 15, 2025

The OSU safety may have been the best defensive player in the country, but because that designation is usually reserved for the nation’s sack or interception leader, some have slept on Downs’ ability because he’s used in such a variety of roles that he’s not able to dominate in just one area.

But turn on the film and you’ll see an absolute monster coming downhill against the run and a defensive back in coverage who is quick to read the quarterback and make plays in coverage as he logged twelve passes defended and six interceptions over the course of his career.  Always relying on having a play-making safety on the back end, Aaron Glenn may call on Darren Mougey to grab the best one in the country.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame:

If we were to get a look at Aaron Glenn’s post game press conference notes, would anyone be surprised if we were to see, written in capital letters at the top, “TELL THEM ABOUT DETRIOT TURNAROUND”?  The Jets couldn’t lose a game in 2025 without the head coach racing to the podium to tell everyone about how things went from abysmal to dominant in Detroit.  A big part of how the did that?  By using an early first round pick on running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Now, that wasn’t quite as early as pick 2, as Gibbs went twelfth overall, but his impact was immeasurable.  The explosive back allowed Detroit to have one of the best quick-strike units in the NFL.  With Breece Hall’s contract status up in the air, Love shouldn’t be ruled out.  In fact, the Jets would probably prefer trading down just a bit, but staying in range to add the best back in the country.

WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State:

The Jets need to add some help at wide receiver to compliment Garrett Wilson and his fellow OSU alumni could provide just that.  The 6′ 2” 195 Tate is viewed by many as the top receiver in the class.  Coming off of a monster year in which he averaged over 17 yards per catch and nine touchdowns.  Tate does an outstanding job of tracking the football and beating press coverage.  His movement skill allow him to create separation but when passes are contested, he can win in tight coverage as well.  There aren’t many folks mocking him to the Jets at 2, but it would be hard to blame them if they went that route.

Aaron Glenn has now completed re-building his offensive coaching staff and it’s a clear pivot from his first effort.  Relying heavily on a young, unproven and inexperienced group, Glenn has blown it up after just one year and is now leaning heavily on proven, experienced coaches in its most important spots.

Bill Musgrave has been named as the team’s quarterbacks coach following the departure of running back turned QB coach Charles London.  While London brought a history of no success to the role, Musgrave has worked with the likes of Matt Ryan, Derek Carr, Michael Vick and Nick Foles.  He becomes the latest key coach with tons of experience that Glenn has added.

Musgrave will work under offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who has had plenty of success as a coordinator as he produced two top ten offenses (2015, 2017) to go along with his six seasons as a head coach with the Colts and Panthers.  This is in addition to the hiring of tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts.

So now the Jets offense goes from a rookie offensive coordinator in Tanner Engstrand, an out-of-place QB coach in Charles London and a rookie tight ends coach who lasted one season, to three established veterans who have had success at multiple stops in multiple roles.  This year’s staff compared to last year’s is night and day.

Then of course there’s the addition of Karl Dunbar on the defensive side of the ball where he’ll coach the lineman.  Dunbar is no stranger to Jets fans after working under Rex Ryan while the team developed the likes of Mo Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon “Snacks” Harrison.

As the Jets defensive coordinator search continues, Connor Hughes of SNY had an interesting tidbit on his Jets Final Drive podcast with Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.  According to Hughes, two “big name” candidates have told the Jets that they have no interest in interviewing to work for the Jets at this time.  Rosenblatt would add that his understanding is that it’s “more than two”.

But while the search may not be going as well as hoped, the pair claims that well-known coordinator Wink Martindale has emerged as the current favorite to land the job.  Martindale coached in the NFL from 2004-20023, spending seven of those seasons as a defensive coordinator for the Broncos, Ravens, and Giants.  He has spent the past twos seasons in the college ranks for Michigan.

As far as the offensive side of the football, particularly at quarterback, the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL is just around the corner, and there will be six QB’s on hand.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU: Viewed as a lock to go in round 1 this year, Nussmeier had a disastrous year that how has him pegged as a mid-round pick.  Some speculate he was playing with an injury in 2025, so this will be a chance for the signal caller to raise his stock once again in a weak quarterback class.

Taylen Green, Arkansas: The 6′ 6” Green has elite athletic traits but fell flat for much of 2025.  After starting off hot with ten touchdown passes in his first two games, Green would throw just nine more over the course of the remainder of the season.  Mobile will be a chance for Green to work with a more talented group of receivers but will have to show improved accuracy if he hopes to impress scouts.

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor: Robertson is an aggressive downfield thrower who shows elite ball placement deep down the field and likes to find man coverage and air it out when opponents blitz.  He’s also more than willing to hang in the pocket do deliver a deep shot but will offer less than any other QB in mobile as a runner.

Love the poise/awareness we see from @BUFootball QB Sawyer Robertson. Looks like a sure sack before he pulls away, finds RB Caden Knighten over the middle and pulls trigger for big gain instead of sack or throw away.

Big opportunity to boost his stock at the @seniorbowl. pic.twitter.com/Duovst0cZk

— Glenn Naughton (@JetsPicks) January 22, 2026

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt: An underdog who always seems to find a way to pull out a win or keep Vandy competitive.  There are serious concerns regarding his height as some suggest he’ll check in at 5′ 9” in Indy.  This would be a major blow for a QB who likely irked some teams with his social media meltdown after not winning the Heisman.

Luke Altmyer, Illinois: A guy who does a lot of things well but nothing exceptional.  Good arm strength and athleticism for Altmyer who logged 44 TD’s to just 11 INT’s over his final two college seasons.  A ‘steady Eddie” type who could be a day 3 pick and potential long-term backup.

Cole Payton, NDSU: If the New Orleans Saints feel it’s time to move on from Taysom Hill, Payton could be the perfect replacement.  His speed and athleticism is beyond impressive and we expect him to run the fastest 40 among QB’s in Indy.  This isn’t to say he can’t wow you with an eye popping throw from time to time, but no matter the plan for Payton, he’s likely a multi-year project.

Just when you think the worst ideas in regards to how to fix the Jets QB situation comes from “randos” on x, along comes ESPN and outdoes all of them.

From the worldwide leader in sports, an nfl executive said the Jets would have available to them, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovaiola or Kyler Murray.  And no, we’re not joking.

Directly from ESPN.com:

This notion isn’t exactly bold — all three quarterbacks appear to not be in the long-term plans of their current franchises. But they are each former Pro Bowlers and several teams have a glaring need at the position each year.

“Do the Jets get one of those three — that’s really the question I have,” an AFC executive said. “They could go young and load up for the 2027 draft of quarterbacks, but the head coach [Aaron Glenn] probably needs to win, so he might need more of a reliable option.”

Miami and Arizona are saddled with large guarantees on deals with Tagovailoa and Murray, respectively. Murray would make more sense to New York, given Tagovailoa’s ties to the AFC East, but not everyone is convinced Arizona owner Michael Bidwill would pay a significant portion of Murray’s $37 million in guarantees for him to not play in Arizona. Smith’s contract is more manageable, with $18.5 million already guaranteed for 2026 (another $8 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the new league year). The 35-year-old spent his first four seasons with the Jets, throwing 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions before moving on.

The Jets will need to make significant plans for a veteran passer regardless.

Let’s look at each one realistically.

Geno Smith: Say what you will about Woody Johnson, but even this move is beneath him.  The owner is going to try to sell the fan base on a new quarterback as he raises ticket prices yet again.  There is no way he’s going to sign off on bringing in a former malcontent as his production dips to unacceptable levels after enjoying a few good seasons.

Tua Tagovailoa: Tua’s extensive and concerning concussion history should make him an automatic “NO” for the Jets.  Especially if the plan is to draft a quarterback who won’t be rushed into action.

Kyler Murray: An undesirable option who would be the  “best” of the three.  You can at least say Murray is young(ish), has had some success and beat you with his arm and legs.  There would of course be questions about his work ethic, but the Jets would have to dismiss that and say it has been overblown or he outgrew his laid back approach.