New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey isn’t expecting to pull off a trade for the Las Vegas Raiders’ No. 1 pick ahead of the 2026 NFL draft.
“I don’t think that’s happening,” Mougey said Tuesday about a potential trade for the top pick, per Antwan V. Stanley of the New York Daily News.
Mougey did confirm that he spoke with Raiders general manager John Spytek, per Stanley.
The Raiders are projected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the latest 2026 mock draft by Bleacher Report.
Mendoza is the only quarterback currently projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
Alabama’s Ty Simpson, ranked as the No. 2 quarterback and No. 28 overall prospect on Bleacher Report’s latest Big Board, isn’t currently projected to come off the board on Day 1.
The Jets are heading into the 2026 season with three quarterbacks under contract in Justin Fields, Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook.
Fields started nine games for the Jets last season, although he finished the campaign behind Tyrod Taylor in the depth chart after publicly losing the trust of Jets owner Woody Johnson.
“Justin’s under contract, we’re glad he’s under contract. We have no trigger date with Justin’s contract, so he’s part of the Jets,” Mougey said Tuesday.
Mougey continued, “We’re having discussions about the quarterback position every day… for the time being, Justin’s in all those conversations. So, we’ll see where that goes.”
The Jets are currently projected in Bleacher Report’s latest mock to select Miami edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr. with the second pick.
In addition to the No. 2 selection, the Jets also hold another first-rounder (No. 16) as well as two picks in the second round (Nos. 33 and 44).
Even if Mougey decides to target another position of need later in the draft, the Jets could end up looking for a signal caller like Simpson later in the draft in order to bring in some potential competition for Fields.
The 2026 NFL draft is set to begin April 24 in Pittsburgh.