With the 2026 NFL Free Agency period beginning to die down, it’s time to review the New York Jets’ efforts throughout the offseason.

General manager Darren Mougey proved that he was not afraid to make a huge splash within the free agency pool, as the Jets managed to land multiple starting-caliber players, such as defensive end Joseph Ossai and guard Dylan Parham. In addition to Ossai and Parham, New York also added both cornerback Nahshan Wright and safety Dane Belton to improve the team’s secondary unit.

However, the organization’s most important move this offseason did not occur through free agency, but rather a trade. Earlier this week, it was reported that former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has been traded to the Jets, and he will now make his return to New York after beginning his career with the franchise.

Smith, throughout the later portion of his career, has proven to be a capable starting quarterback in the NFL. But despite the Jets being able to reunite with their former 2013 second-round pick, it is clear that the struggling organization must add another young quarterback into the mix prior to the 2026 NFL season.

Luckily for Mougey and the rest of the front office, there are plenty of opportunities for the Jets to snag a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. And with nine picks in the possession of New York heading into the draft, this becomes a terrific chance to add a young playmaker behind Smith.

Obviously, with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza seemingly being a lock as the No. 1 pick, the Jets will have to look elsewhere to address the position.

One name that received some hype during the NFL Combine was Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who could be a potential option for the Jets at either pick No. 16 or No. 33. Simpson is coming off an outstanding year with the Crimson Tide, as he threw for 3,567 yards and 25 touchdowns over the course of the 2025 season.

Fortunately for the Jets, if Mougey does not want to take Simpson in the early rounds, there are plenty of options in the later rounds. This includes Penn State’s Drew Allar and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, who were both highly-regarded prospects before the 2025 college football season.

While Klubnik and Allar failed to reach the high expectations put upon them last year, both quarterbacks have a dual-threat ability that could be refined under proper coaching. Since Smith is projected to be the starting quarterback for the Jets in 2026, Allar and Klubnik make perfect sense as developmental picks in the later rounds of the draft.

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