Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Geno Smith Floated as Jets Trade Options by NFL Exec

The New York Jets have a big question mark at quarterback for the 2026 season, with the team likely to release 2025 Week 1 starter Justin Fields, who was benched on two different occasions this season, per ESPN's Rich Cimini.

One AFC executive wondered if the Jets could trade for a veteran, mentioning Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals and Geno Smith of the Las Vegas Raiders.

"Do the Jets get one of those three—that's really the question I have," an AFC executive said. "They could go young and load up for the 2027 draft of quarterbacks, but the head coach [Aaron Glenn] probably needs to win, so he might need more of a reliable option."

All three might be tough sells for Jets fans, even though each quarterback has certainly enjoyed his fair share of success in the past.

Tagovailoa was benched for poor performance in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers for the last three games of the season. He finished the year with 15 interceptions, the second-highest amount in the NFL. He has a guaranteed salary of $54 million next year, per Over the Cap.

Murray played five games before suffering a season-ending foot injury. His 5.88 adjusted yards per attempt were 36th in the NFL, per Pro Football Reference.

However, then-head coach Jonathan Gannon said on a Nov. 4 Arizona Sports radio appearance that Jacoby Brissett, who took over for Murray and fared well, would be the starting quarterback even if Murray was good enough to play.

Murray has a $36.8 million guaranteed salary in 2026, per Over The Cap.

Smith had a rough first year in Vegas after the Seattle Seahawks traded him, finishing 35th in quarterback rating and 37th in QBR, per Pro Football Reference. He threw an NFL-high 17 interceptions. Smith has $18.5 million guaranteed due to him next year, per Over the Cap.

The Jets notably selected Smith with a second-round draft pick in 2013, but he was only a starter for two years before being replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick.

New York selects second overall in the draft and perhaps could find a QB there, but one of the top potential 2026 prospects, Oregon's Dante Moore, opted to go back to school. Only two QBs are currently in the top 30 of Bleacher Report's latest 2026 draft big board in Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (fifth overall) and Alabama's Ty Simpson at 30th. Mendoza, the reigning national champion and Heisman Trophy winner, seems like a fit to go to the 3-14 Raiders at first overall in the draft at this point.

So the Jets have some decisions to make in year two of the era led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, particularly at QB. They should have some options, but it's unclear where the team will head at this juncture.