The New York Jets have been connected to a compelling trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The New York Jets will be one of the most interesting teams to watch this NFL offseason. Armed with expansive cap space and a bevy of draft picks, the Jets could rebuild their roster in a hurry.
Of course, what everyone really wants to know is who will be playing quarterback for New York next fall.
Justin Fields is still on the roster, but he is a cut candidate, and even if the Jets keep him, there will still be a quarterback competition in training camp.
The problem is that this upcoming NFL Draft has a very thin quarterback class. Fernando Mendoza will go No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders, but with Dante Moore returning to Oregon, New York doesn't really have any options at No. 2.
To make matters worse, Trinidad Chambliss decided to head back to Ole Miss, limiting the Jets to just Alabama's Ty Simpson at No. 16 (which isn't overly appealing).
So is it possible that New York employs other means to find a signal-caller?
ESPN's Dan Graziano has floated the possibility of trading for Philadelphia Eagles backup Tanner McKee, naming the Jets as one of his top potential landing spots.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee. Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images."McKee looks like a young quarterback worthy of development in his preseason and late-season starts," Graziano wrote. "I see good size, good accuracy and comfort reading the field to make aggressive throws from the pocket. McKee has only one year left on his deal, so a trade would only make sense with a team that would start him now to determine if he's worthy of an extension. He has five career touchdown passes across appearances in six games."
The Eagles selected McKee in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and as Graziano noted, he has been impressive when given the opportunity. However, he is stuck behind Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, so a trade seems plausible.
McKee stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 231 pounds, so he has elite size for the position. However, he only has decent arm strength, and he does not possess a ton of mobility.
The Jets might not be willing to pay the Eagles' asking price for McKee, who has totaled 597 yards, five touchdowns and an interception while completing 54 of his 88 career passes.
But with so few options for New York this offseason, the Jets may have no choice but to pay up for a quarterback.
Jets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Jets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.