The New York Jets replaced Aaron Rodgers with Justin Fields last offseason, hoping the dual-threat quarterback would bring a spark to the offense under a new coaching staff. While the coaching staff will remain in place for 2026, changes are reportedly planned for the quarterbacks room.
According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports, the Jets do not intend to bring Fields back next season. However, the club does want to retain veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
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In March 2025, the New York Jets signed Fields to a two-year contract worth $40 million. He made nine starts for the team but averaged just 6.2 yards per attempt with a 62.7 percent completion rate and an 89.5 passer rating. According to Spotrac, a post-June 1 release of Fields will create $10 million in cap space with a $13 million dead cap hit this year and a $9 million dead cap hit in 2027.
While Fields will not return, the Jets want to re-sign Tyrod Taylor. The 36-year-old quarterback went 1-3 as a starter and had a 5-5 TD-INT line across six games played. However, he is a veteran presence whom the organization wants in the locker room to serve as a mentor for a young quarterback.
New York could have been in a position to take a quarterback with its top pick in the 2026 NFL draft. However, the decision of Dante Moore to return to Oregon for the 2026 season means that Fernando Mendoza is the only consensus first-round talent. Ty Simpson of Alabama could be taken in the latter half of Round 1, but opinions are more mixed on him.
For the Jets, this most likely means the team will wait to take a quarterback until day two. It could take a similar approach to what the New Orleans Saints did this past offseason, selecting Tyler Shough in the second round and then naming him the starter midway through the season.
