'Nobody Wants to Play There,' Jets Slammed by NFL Exec After Free Agency, Trade Moves

The New York Jets revamped their roster with a slew of moves this offseason, but some around the league aren't convinced that there will be any difference.

The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke with an executive from another team who criticized the Jets for perpetuating their cycle of failing to find a franchise quarterback.

"The Jets keep doing the same thing," the exec said. "They trade good players off their team, they get draft picks, nobody wants to play there, they are a young team, they have to find a journeyman quarterback. Then they bring in all these picks, they can't find a quarterback still, and then they trade all those players for more picks and still can't find a quarterback. I would guess the owner is very involved with that thought process."

With the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Jets likely won't have the chance to land coveted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. The rest of the quarterbacks in this year's draft class aren't viewed as sure-fire NFL starters, so New York will likely look to the 2027 draft when it has three first-round picks to land its franchise QB.

In the meantime, the Jets added multiple veterans who can help change the culture as head coach Aaron Glenn enters his second year at the helm. Sando noted that key newcomers Minkah Fitzpatrick (age 29), Demario Davis (37), David Onyemata (33) and Geno Smith (35) are "not exactly long-term investments," but they can help set the table for the team's eventual quarterback of the future.

While some still see the Jets as a team to mock, one exec explained to Sando that he understands their strategy.

"People were crushing them for getting old guys, but you gotta give Aaron Glenn a chance," one exec said. "To completely tank next year to try to get the quarterback the following year and build around the draft capital they got from the Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner trades, you still gotta raise the floor and turn the culture. You don't want to be like Cleveland with a tanking culture hanging over your franchise."