The Best Starting QB Candidates for the New York Jets

Image courtesy of New York Jets.

By Sam Bergstrom 

It is an understatement to say that the New York Jets have been in pure turmoil. The Jets currently have the longest playoff drought in the National Football League by a long shot, not making it back since 2010. A rebuilding team should never have to take 15 years to rise back to decency, but the Jets keep letting their passionate fans down year after year, after year. 

A big reason for this dysfunction is that they have yet to find a quarterback who can turn them into a respectable team. Since 2010, the Jets have started a whopping 9 different starting quarterbacks in Week 1, with Justin Fields being their latest failed experiment. Recently, projected #2 overall pick Dante Moore announced he will be returning to Oregon, deciding not to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. With Fernando Mendoza projected to go #1 to the Raiders, the Jets will have a creative decision to make concerning who their new starter will be. Here are their four most promising options.

Image courtesy of Jets Factor.

#4 – Draft Ty Simpson 

The Jets have had an egregious track record in drafting quarterbacks, as Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Zach Wilson all had ugly tenures with the franchise. The Jets currently hold the 16th pick in this year’s draft, courtesy of the Sauce Gardner trade they completed with the Indianapolis Colts. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted in his latest mock draft that the Jets will use this pick to select Simpson. Last year at Alabama, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and had a QBR of 145.2. Outside of Fernando Mendoza, Simpson has the most QB upside in this draft. But, needless to say, this is a bit of a risky move considering how poorly the Jets develop young arms.

Image courtesy of PFF.

#3 – Acquire Kyler Murray 

Kyler Murray has been a bit of an enigma his entire career. Despite being just 5’10”, Murray has always played an exciting brand of football, using his athleticism to scramble at will and zip it zealously to his targets. With this being said, his inconsistency is a big reason why the Cardinals have made just one playoff appearance since 2019. The 2x Pro Bowler may need a fresh start, as Arizona clearly looked more efficient on offense after Murray went on IR with a foot injury. It is uncertain at this point whether the Cardinals are looking to keep, release, or trade Murray. If the Cardinals do decide to move on, he would definitely be an improvement for the Jets. However, New York would probably have to absorb a good amount of his $53 million contract. Considering the Jets would be competing at best for a Wild Card spot with Kyler under center, it is worth asking whether his value would be worthwhile.

Image courtesy of Green Bay Packers.

#2 – Sign Malik Willis

After a rocky first two years in Tennessee, Willis developed nicely as Jordan Love’s backup in Green Bay. In Week 17 against Baltimore, Willis threw for a career-high 288 yards, ran for 60 yards, and scored 3 total touchdowns. This scenario reminds me of when Jalen Brunson had a breakout game against the Utah Jazz in the 2022 playoffs, scoring 41 points and showing everyone he could be the guy if given an opportunity. Despite playing mostly in Luka Dončić’s shadow up until that point, the New York Knicks rolled the dice by making him their new starting point guard, where he has since become a superstar. Could Malik Willis save the day for the Jets in a similar fashion? He is clearly one of the best backups in the NFL, and it seems as if he has developed his arm quite a bit to add to his already impressive mobility. Considering Willis has only shown flashes, he is definitely still a volatile option. If New York can sign Willis to a reasonably priced contract, he could prove to be the unexpected spark the Jets’ offense desperately needs.

Image courtesy of Sporting News.

#1 – Trade for Joe Burrow 

This trade is probably not happening, but one can dream. There has been light speculation that Burrow may want out of Cincinnati, and the Jets could offer the Bengals a haul if this opportunity arises. It would likely require at least three first-round picks, perhaps even their No. 2 overall pick this year. If they could pull off this miraculous trade, they would obliterate their rebuild and be propelled into playoff contention. When he plays, Burrow has shown he can facilitate a deep playoff push. The only concern then becomes if he can stay healthy. Even though Burrow has had three season-ending injuries in his career, I think this risk is one well worth taking. But again, probably not happening.