Jets linked to trade for former first round QB who could compete for starting role

Jets linked to trade for former first round QB who could compete for starting role originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Jets have been searching for their franchise QB for decades.

Recent debacles like Zach Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields last season haven’t given fans much hope at the most important position in the NFL.

Wilson was a highly touted prospect coming out of BYU who smart talent evaluators said would thrive in the NFL. His best season in New York was his rookie year, where he threw for 2,334 yards, 9 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a QB rating of 69.7. The Jets attempted to start him the next two seasons, but it was clear the game was too big for him and he’s now floating around the league as a backup.

The Jets were certain they found their solution when they inked Aaron Rodgers to a huge contract. Rodgers tore his Achilles on the first play of the regular season in 2023, and while he returned to play solid enough in 2024, there were other massive holes on the team and they finished (5-12).

Then there was last year, where the trade for Justin Fields appeared to backfire in a major way. As the starting QB for most of the season, Fields finished the year with 1,259 passing yards with just seven touchdowns and an interception.

The Jets finished with a (3-14) record.

Jets named as trade candidate to land Vikings 23-year-old QB J.J McCarthy

The Jets made the decision to bring back Geno Smith as their presumed starting QB for 2026, after the veteran signal caller is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in the NFL.

Smith was originally drafted by the Jets in 2013 and got opportunities to take the starting role, but he struggled like so many in New York do.

After injuries and getting benched, Smith hopped around the league as a backup for a while before getting a chance to start again with the Seahawks. He put up back-to-back impressive seasons as the Seattle starter in 2023 and 2024, which earned him NFL Comeback Player of the year in 2023.

But after getting traded to the Raiders last season, Smith reverted to his old ways. The Jets are hoping they can get him to win some games for them while they continue to rebuild a young, talented roster that already has key pieces like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. Because they unloaded a few big-name players during the season via trades, the Jets have multiple first round picks this draft and in 2027, so the long-term plan is to build a talented roster this season so when they draft their future franchise QB in 2027, he has the best chance to succeed.

But with Smith penciled in as the only starting-caliber signal caller for the Jets in 2026 right now, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes New York could be a trade candidate for Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, who struggled in his first year starting last season.

Here’s what Davenport wrote about the potential of the Vikings trading McCarthy, before listing the Cardinals and Jets as possible trade partners:

Will McCarthy ever be a viable NFL starter? That remains unclear. With at least two years left on his rookie deal, a quarterback-needy team might still consider offering a second-round pick to the Vikings for the 23-year-old, even if that level of investment would be risky and could backfire—as many aggressive QB swings have for struggling franchises.

If the Jets pulled this trade off and McCarthy beat out Smith for the starting role, there’s certainly a chance he could thrive and potentially solve the issue of a quarterback in New York moving forward.

More Jets news:

• Jets predicted to trade for one more QB trade after Geno Smith deal
• Zachariah Branch would be ideal round 2 fit for Jets
• Jets ideal pick at No. 2 overall is Arvell Reese out of Ohio State
• Aaron Glenn believes Geno Smith can lead Jets to 'the promised land'
• Garrett Wilson named Jets most overpaid player