New York Jets find themselves in a doomsday scenario with the latest NFL Draft news

The Jets are set to select second overall, and there might not be a quarterback worthy of the selection.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn looks on during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The New York Jets find themselves in an all too familiar situation. More often than not, selecting second overall is a great place to land a quarterback in the NFL Draft. They were hopeful to land one in the 2026 NFL Draft, but it’s highly unlikely that will happen now.

On Wednesday, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore announced he will return to school. That leaves the top of the NFL Draft with just one quarterback worthy of a top pick in Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers. Unfortunately for the Jets, the Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback, and they select first overall.

Dante Moore returns to Oregon, putting the Jets in a difficult situation

Now that the Jets know they likely won’t have a chance at a top quarterback in the NFL Draft, it begs the question: Who will start at quarterback for them in 2026?

Justin Fields was benched last year due to his poor play, but the Jets would only save $1 million by releasing him, but could save $11 million with a trade. He might be willing to take a paycut to stay in New York, as other teams aren’t likely to give him a chance to start.

If they move on from Fields, the Jets don’t have many options. Malik Willis will be the top option in free agency, but he will have a robust market from multiple teams that need starters or bridge quarterbacks. The likes of the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals could all be in the market.

They could take a quarterback who isn’t at the top of the class at 17th overall, with Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels being options. It won’t be the sexiest option, but it is possible.

There are some potential trade options the Jets could consider, but each comes with major costs. Due to their past, Geno Smith and Aaron Rodgers are both likely out.

  • Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa: $40 million cap hit on acquisition
  • Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray: $42.54 million cap hit on acquisition
  • Philadelphia Eagles’ Tanner McKee: $1.1 million cap hit on acquisition

None of these options is very exciting for the Jets, but it’s all they have. The good news is they are loaded with draft capital to fortify the rest of the roster with eight picks in the first two rounds across 2026 and 2027.

It’s hard to be a Jets fan, and Wednesday made it worse.

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