The Jets are desperate. They need a quarterback and a fresh start.
But they cannot afford to make another bad decision.
Darren Mougey, the team’s new general manager, has a big challenge ahead.
His job will be judged on whether he finds a franchise quarterback, but it will be a huge mistake if he trades up in the draft for one.
This is not a great quarterback class.
Cam Ward from Miami and Shedeur Sanders from Colorado are the best options, but they are not elite prospects.
If they had entered last year’s draft, they would have been fifth or sixth among quarterbacks.
That’s not an opinion; multiple sources have confirmed it.
One executive said that Michael Penix, who went No. 8 to the Falcons in 2024, is a better quarterback prospect than anyone in this draft.
Another said that J.J. McCarthy, who went No. 11 to the Vikings, would be the top QB if he were in this class.
And yet, the Jets are thinking about trading away multiple picks to move up?
Have they not learned from their past mistakes?
- Trading up for a quarterback in 2025 would be an expensive mistake since this draft class lacks elite talent, and history shows that overpaying for a QB often leads to long-term setbacks.
- The Jets must prioritize filling major roster holes at cornerback, linebacker, wide receiver, right tackle, tight end, and safety instead of sacrificing valuable draft picks for an uncertain quarterback prospect.
- Waiting until the 2026 draft, which is expected to feature stronger quarterback prospects, could be the smarter move.
Trading Up Will Cost Too Much
The Jets have the No. 7 pick in the draft.
The No. 1 pick belongs to the Tennessee Titans, and the No. 2 pick belongs to the Cleveland Browns.
Both teams may be willing to trade, but the price will be high.
OverTheCap.com values the Jets’ pick at 2,014 points, while the No. 1 pick is worth 3,000 points, and the No. 2 pick is worth 2,649 points.
The Jets would have to make up 635 to 986 points just to match the value, which would cost them a second-round pick or more.
And that’s just the starting price.
When a team trades up for a quarterback, the cost is always higher.
Look at what happened in 2023.
The Carolina Panthers traded up from No. 9 to No. 1 to get Bryce Young, giving up:
- A first-round pick in 2023
- A first-round pick in 2024
- Two second-round picks
- Wide receiver D.J. Moore
It was one of the worst trades in recent history.
In 2021, the 49ers moved up from No. 12 to No. 3 to take Trey Lance, which cost them three first-round picks and a fourth-round pick.
Lance barely played and was traded away in two years.
The Jets have made this mistake before, too.
In 2018, they moved from No. 6 to No. 3 to draft Sam Darnold, giving up a first-round pick, three second-round picks, and years of disappointment.
Now, do they want to do the same thing?
The Jets Have Bigger Problems Than Quarterback
This team is not one quarterback away from winning.
On offense, it’s somehow even worse.
The Jets are expected to cut Davante Adams and Allen Lazard, meaning they need two starting receivers.
Morgan Moses won’t be back, so there goes their right tackle.
Tyler Conklin is a free agent, so they need a tight end.
And they need two starting safeties.
But what about money?
The Jets have $62 million in cap space, though only $52.5 million is available at the start of free agency because of Aaron Rodgers’ contract.
That sounds like a lot until you realize that $52 million disappears fast when you need help everywhere.
If the Jets trade up, they will lose valuable draft picks.
They will be stuck with a weak roster and an average quarterback.
The Aaron Rodgers Mess Still Hurts
The Jets are still paying for their Rodgers mistake.
They didn’t just trade for him.
They rebuilt the entire team around him, signing his favorite receivers:
- Allen Lazard ($22 million)
- Randall Cobb ($2.8 million)
- Davante Adams ($11.6 million)
The team spent $111.4 million on these four players, and in total, they played 66 games.
Now, they are paying for it.
The Jets have $64 million in dead cap money from these deals:
- $49 million from Rodgers
- $8.4 million from Adams
- $6.6 million from Lazard
If they cut Rodgers after June 1, they can spread the damage over two years, but they will still take a $35 million hit in 2026.
And the fallout isn’t over.
There were problems between Rodgers and Garrett Wilson last year.
Reports say that Rodgers favored throwing to Adams over Wilson, who had 87 targets in 11 games, while Adams had 112 targets.
That tension could lead to more problems.
Waiting Until 2026 is the Smart Move
The 2026 NFL Draft will have better quarterbacks, including:
- Arch Manning
- Nico Iamaleava
- LaNorris Sellers
- Garrett Nussmeier
- Drew Allar
One of them could be the franchise QB the Jets need.
Instead of trading up for a mediocre quarterback now, they should use this year’s picks to build a stronger team.
They can draft a quarterback like Jaxson Dart in the second or third round as a backup option, but they shouldn’t waste future picks chasing a quarterback in a weak draft class.
The Jets Have Made Too Many Mistakes—It’s Time to Get It Right
The Jets got it wrong with Zach Wilson.
They got it wrong with Aaron Rodgers.
They got it wrong with Sam Darnold.
Now, they have a chance to do something different.
They need to stop rushing the process, build the roster, get stronger, and wait for the right quarterback.
If they trade up for a quarterback this year, they’ll be right back in the same situation in three years, looking for another one.
