The New York Jets’ new regime will start fresh as they enter an offseason with a revamped front office, coaching staff, and quarterback, which seems to be routine every three to five years. Head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey have decided to move on from future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, meaning the search is on for a new franchise man under center.
Here are five early options:
Tyrod Taylor/Jordan Travis
Tyrod Taylor and Jordan Travis are the only two quarterbacks on the roster. Taylor spent the entirety of the 2024 season backing up Rodgers and has been one of the better backups for almost a decade, changing teams and mentoring young quarterbacks or stepping in for an injured one when needed. He’s not the best option for New York, but he offers some familiarity and veteran leadership with a young offensive coordinator in Tanner Engstrand running the offense.
Taylor also tends to miss time due to injury, which could give Jordan Travis a run as the starter for a few weeks. Travis was taken in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State. He missed the entirety of his rookie campaign due to a gruesome season-ending lower leg injury. Travis suffered multiple setbacks during the 2024 season, potentially leaving his status for the start of OTAs and training camp up in the air.
If he makes a full recovery, it’s possible he gets some playing time if it’s just Travis and Taylor as the one-two punch in the quarterback room. This is an unlikely scenario but potentially the cheapest option.
Tyrod Taylor 2024 stats: 2 GP | 119 YDS | 3 TD | 0 INT | 77.3% COMP | 95.6 QBR
Jordan Travis 2024 stats: N/A
Justin Fields
The former Ohio State Buckeye has a familiar and disgruntled friend who’s a part of the Jets’ wide receiver room in Garrett Wilson. The two were teammates in college and had tons of success together. If the Jets brought in Justin Fields to be the new quarterback for the Jets, it might convince Wilson to stay.
Fields had a solid season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but once Russell Wilson returned from injury, he never started another game for the black and yellow. He was on the field for certain packages that showed off his ability as a runner, but the dual-threat will be looking for a new home in 2025.
With the right coaching and an offense that’s predominantly run-heavy under the former Detroit Lions passing game coordinator in Engstrand – Fields could thrive in New York.
2024 stats: 6 GS | 5 TD | 1 INT | 231 RUSH YDS | 5 RTD | 1 FL | 66.25% COMP
Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston has been one of the league’s most serviceable backup quarterbacks, but it remains unknown whether he would be willing to play for the Jets. This is a fanbase that’s been starving for points, so New York could be interested in the 31-year-old. Over the course of his career, he’s scored a lot of points, but he’s committed a ton of turnovers.
He’s thrown 154 touchdown passes and 111 interceptions during his 10-year career, including his 2019 season, where he led the league with 5,109 yards and threw 33 touchdowns, but also a league-worst 30 interceptions.
2024 stats: 12 GP | 2,121 YDS | 13 TD | 12 INT | 61.1% COMP | 55.6 QBR
Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton could be a solid option whether they draft a quarterback or not. Dalton has spent the last two seasons mentoring Bryce Young in Carolina. When Young has missed time for either an injury or for lackluster quarterback play, Dalton has gone in and put up points. The 37-year-old enters his 15th season with the possibility of looking for a new home.
Dalton would be a cheap, one-year stop-gap quarterback with multiple offenses under his belt. The Jets’ new defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, was in Carolina in 2022 when Dalton first arrived. If they have a good relationship, a reunion could be on the horizon.
2024 stats: 6 GP | 5 GS | 989 YDS | 7 TD | 6 INT | 66.3% COMP | 55.4 QBR
Sam Darnold
There’s a familiar friend about to enter free agency, and that’s former 2018 first-round pick Sam Darnold.
Darnold broke out in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings but ultimately collapsed in the final two weeks of the season, which may have cost him a multi-year contract. While he had a year that could earn him a massive payday, those two weeks in the biggest games of the season might have cost him the freedom to go just about anywhere he wanted.
This is a long shot, considering many teams don’t move on from the quarterback they drafted and then sign him in free agency four years later. The 27-year-old entering his prime could give New York the best chance to win outside of Rodgers.
2024 stats: 17 GP | 4,319 YDS | 35 TD | 12 INT | 66.2% COMP | 60.5 QBR
