The New York Jets were one of the worst teams in the league last season and their quarterback room was a huge reason why.
Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor combined to form one of the worst units in all of football, so the Jets will need to dive into free agency, the NFL draft, and the trade market to find an upgrade.
At this point, a trade seems like the most likely option for the Jets to pursue, especially considering there are multiple solid fits on the trade block.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan recently linked the Jets to a trade for San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones. Sullivan also projected Jones would cost a third-round pick in a potential deal.
Mac Jones is worth a trade, but not a top draft pick
Dec 14, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) warms up prior to the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
“Brock Purdy is San Francisco’s franchise quarterback, but Mac Jones did endear himself when filling in as the Niners starter with Purdy injured. Jones went 5-3 as the starter and completed 69.6% of his passes with a 97.4 passer rating,” Sullivan wrote. “As we noted with Murray above, this year’s rookie QB class isn’t particularly strong, which may create a robust market for veterans like Jones. On top of that, Jones does fit the profile of a former first-round QB turned castoff, who is ripe for a career resurgence.
“Jones is still only 27 years old and has a cap hit of just over $3 million in 2026. That creates significant value for prospective teams to evaluate Jones as a potential next veteran to revitalize his career and propel their franchise to playoff contention.”
A trade for Jones would make plenty of sense. He’s still young enough to be the team’s franchise quarterback if he can continue to trend in the right direction. There are plenty of quarterbacks who have experienced career resurgences and Jones could be the next name on that list.
But it’s hard to imagine the Jets cutting ties with their third round pic, which is at the top of the third round, in exchange for Jones. There’s a chance the Jets could combine a few other draft picks to land Jones, though.
The Jets might be desperate enough to send a third rounder to San Francisco this offseason, but that would only be if they are certain that Jones is the answer under center.
More MLB: Jets’ Next Superstar Addition is Glaringly Obvious
