As the New York Jets begin to prepare for the upcoming offseason, the first major hurdle for general manager Darren Mougey will be attacking the free agency market.

It’s clear that the Jets need a massive overhaul on the defensive side of the ball, with stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams being dealt at the trade deadline. In addition to the defense, Mougey must also revamp the entire offense this offseason due to the lack of playmakers on the roster.

Unfortunately for the struggling franchise, the Jets are unlikely to find their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza being the shoo-in pick for the Las Vegas Raiders with the first pick, Mougey and the front office must look elsewhere to fill the void.

Luckily, former 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson could quickly become an option for New York heading into next year after the recent news about him potentially requesting a trade.

Richardson, coming out of Florida in the 2023 draft, was a polarizing prospect due to his limited experience at the college level. Throughout his three seasons with the Gators, the highly-regarded playmaker had just one full season of being the program’s starting quarterback, throwing for a total of 393 attempts during the three-year stint.

Still, NFL teams quickly fell in love with Richardson’s elite athleticism, as he recorded a 40.5-inch vertical and a 4.43 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine. This prompted him to be selected with the No. 4 pick by the Indianapolis Colts, in hopes that he could develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

However, this was not the case for the young gunslinger.

Through his first three seasons with the Colts, Richardson has shown flashes of promise, but has yet to take the next step. Between battling injuries and his inconsistency from game to game, the 23-year-old was replaced by Daniel Jones as Indianapolis’ starting quarterback for the 2025 season.

The question now becomes whether or not the Jets should take a flyer on Richardson this offseason. With Frank Reich recently being hired as the team’s next offensive coordinator, his work with former first-round pick Carson Wentz when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles could be a great sign.

Both Richardson and Wentz were known for having elite tools and struggling with consistency, which is why Richardson could be an intriguing fit for the Jets in 2026.

While there is a good chance that Richardson could not pan out, taking a flyer on him would be the best-case scenario for New York this offseason. If he ends up putting it all together, he could easily become the next franchise quarterback for the Jets. But if he does not work out, Mougey is well-equipped to find his starting quarterback of the future in the 2027 NFL Draft.