The New York Jets have one of the worst quarterback situations in the entire league. In fact, considering the Las Vegas Raiders will almost certainly land Fernando Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s safe to say the Jets have the worst quarterback situation in football.
They’re going to need to bring in a few options to fill the hole on their roster. Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook weren’t good enough last year. But the options on the market might not be much of an upgrade.
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PFF’s Bradley Locker recently discussed the Jets quarterback situation and mentioned a few options to fill the roster hole. Locker mentioned Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirik Cousins, and Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis as potential solutions to the Jets’ biggest problem.
Jets have a few solid QB options to pursue
Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
“The Jets’ decades-long woes may not be alleviated much this offseason. After overhauling almost the entirety of the team’s coaching staff, Aaron Glenn still needs to address his options under center – where there are scant good ones,” Locker wrote. “New York tried givingJustin Fieldsa shot in 2025, but he didn’t produce at the level of his $40 million contract with a 65.5 PFF passing grade. Other in-house candidates to start include 36-year-oldTyrodTaylorand second-yearBrady Cook, each of whom finished below a 58.0 PFF passing grade.
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“Even though the Jets own the second overall pick, they almost certainly will not take a quarterback then based on this year’s class. Could New York instead draft someone like TySimpsonat No. 16 overall? Or, could the team try to pursue the likes ofMalik Willis,Kirk Cousins,Kyler MurrayorTua Tagovailoaon the market?”
Simpson makes some sense for the Jets at pick No. 16 or pick No. 33 in the NFL draft, but only if the Jets love him as a prospect. They don’t want to fall in the trap of taking the best quarterback available for the sake of taking a quarterback.
Murray makes a lot of sense, but it’s hard to evaluate his trade value. Would the Jets be willing to give up a second round pick to bring him in?
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Cousins could be a solid bridge quarterback as the Jets look to bring a rookie in next offseason. The veteran still has some gas left in the tank it seems.
Tagovailoa shouldn’t be considered as a realistic option for the Jets. He wouldn’t make them much better, if at all, and his contract is far too expensive for the Jets to want to touch it.
Willis has some potential, but he would put the Jets in an eerily similar situation to the Fields situation from the past year. Both are unproven signal callers with high ceilings but low floors. Fields didn’t work out for the Jets. Could Willis be the answer?
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as Kirk Cousins, 4 Others Getting Buzz as Candidates for Jets QB Job.