The Jets have dramatically altered their quarterback landscape this offseason. After hiring Frank Reich and Bill Musgrave as offensive coordinator and quarterback coach respectively, the Jets acquired Geno Smith in a trade with the Raiders, they sent Justin Fields to Kansas City in a trade with the Chiefs and then they moved up on Day 3 of the NFL Draft to select Clemson QB Cade Klubnik in Round 4.
With Klubnik joining a QB room that includes Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe, will GM Darren Mougey add another experienced veteran to the group?
"We kind of spoke as a group and talked about it and that landscape really hasn't moved much," Mougey said. "And we felt good about that at that time and didn't anticipate it moving, so it felt like, OK, let's go into the draft, let's see where we come out, we will reconvene, and say, 'OK, now let's look at the landscape. Let's look at the picture. Let's have some good discussions about what we know we have now coming out of the draft and kind of further evaluate it.' So, we'll see in the coming weeks."
Tyrod Taylor, who started four games for the Jets last season and appeared in eight games in 2024-25, remains a free agent. Smith, who reportedly will get paid $16.2 million from the Raiders and only $3.3 million from the Jets, is on a one-year deal.
"We brought in Geno to be our starter, and I'm not putting a cap on him on how many years he can play," head coach Aaron Glenn said. "So, I don't want to even go into the fact of, 'He's here for a year, he's a...' You know what I'm saying? Like as long as he's producing and as long as he's the best guy out there for us, he's going to continue to play."
Check out the top photos of QB Geno Smith throwing to WR Garrett Wilson and the rest of the Jets pass catchers during Phase 1 of the voluntary offseason program.
Although the 2027 draft is still a year away, pundits have circled the Jets' three first-round picks next April and the possibility of adding an elite QB. But Smith has a great opportunity and will be surrounded by the likes of WR Garrett Wilson, TE Mason Taylor and RB Breece Hall plus two impressive first-round picks in TE Kenyon Sadiq (Rd 1, No. 16) and WR Omar Cooper Jr. (Rd 1, No. 30). While QB1 is not a question, Glenn is not putting a ceiling on any of his passers.
"In this league, you got to have a system where there are backups and there are guys that are pushing the starter," Glenn said. "You always want to create that type of competition. Listen, I'm not going to sit here and say exactly where Cade's going to play. The thing is those guys are going to go out there and compete. Right now, I like that room. I like where it's at. The guys are going to continue to compete, and I don't want to cap any of those guys as far as playtime and how long they are going to play and things like that. They're going to go out there and as long as they're competing and giving us the best chance to win – they'll be here for us."
It wasn't a surprise the Jets drafted a quarterback on Day 3. After Fernando Mendoza (LV, No. 1 overall), Ty Simpson (LAR, No. 14 overall), Carson Beck AZ (Rd 3, No. 65 overall) and Drew Allar (Rd 3, No. 76 overall) were selected, the Jets didn't want to risk the chance of losing Klubnik. So, Mougey moved up 18 spots in Round 4 in a picks swap with Cincinnati and got his guy.
"I felt really good about Cade," Mougey said. "It started, obviously, last year, evaluating all those quarterbacks. We had good grades on Cade going into this year. And then, you're watching this year, he got hurt early and was playing hurt much of the year, and that team kind of struggled, but was excited to get around him at the combine. (He) had a great Combine interview, which kind of sparked us to want to get down to Clemson and work him out and spend some more time with him. We went down there and, again, it was a great exposure, being there on campus with him, in the room, talking ball. It felt very natural, felt like there was a connection there, getting on the field, doing the workout, showed well."
And while the Jets like Klubnik and they could add another veteran passer to the room, Smith will be the unquestioned starter for an offense that has a lot of talented pieces.
At the NFL Annual Meeting last month, Glenn said: "He can go out there and throw 4,000 yards and have 30 touchdowns and no interceptions, and you think we're just going to let him go? So, I think that just goes by year, and listen, I do know this – he's excited about being here and he's going to be our quarterback."
