Andrew Buller-Russ
Who will be the New York Jets‘ starting quarterback in 2026? Chances are, it won’t be Justin Fields again. They’re likely not turning back to free agent QB Aaron Rodgers either.
The Jets boast the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but only Fernando Mendoza is widely projected as a first-round pick, and he’s fully expected to be selected by the Raiders. Thus, the Jets had to get a bit creative to find their next starting QB, but they may have just pulled it off.
According to The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini, the Jets have agreed to a trade for Geno Smith. The Raiders were widely expected to release Smith, but managed to find a trade partner in New York instead. Rather than competing with other teams in free agency, the Jets traded a 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 208) to the Raiders in exchange for Smith and a seventh-round selection (No. 228).
Smith restructured his contract rather than being released, but the Raiders are reportedly paying most of it, with the Jets being stuck with paying just over the veteran minimum of $1.3 million. Jordan Schultz adds that the Vikings had some interest in the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback too.
It’s a reunion/homecoming for Smith, who was originally drafted by the Jets as the 39th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Now 35 years old, Smith is coming off a down season, but he ends up in a much better situation in New York, where he’ll likely either become the starter or compete with a rookie.
Smith completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,025 passing yards, 19 TDs, and an NFL-high 17 interceptions last season, but the year before, he managed to complete over 70% of his passes while generating 4,320 passing yards.
If Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich can get Smith back on track, they could be buying low on a QB who can still get the job done at a high level. If not, the Jets didn’t invest much into their new QB, and they can still develop a young arm from the 2026 NFL Draft too.
Related: NFL Free Agency Day 1: Biggest Winners & Losers
