Jets still QB question
The New York Jets re-signed Geno Smith in free agency but remain unclear at quarterback, increasing speculation about their 2026 draft strategy amid a shallow QB class that names Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson as the likeliest early prospects. (nationaltoday.com) (hindustantimes.com)
The Jets acquired Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, per the trade report. ( sports.yahoo.com/articles/jets-reunite-qb-geno-smith-202200205.html ) NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the Raiders will cover roughly $16.2 million of Smith’s bonus while the Jets will carry a $3.3 million base salary for him in 2026, producing a total cash figure of about $19.5 million. ( sportingnews.com/us/nfl/new-york-jets/news/jets-agree-new-geno-smith-contract-pay-raise-raiders-trade/e1d3e64124a611a30ac99679 ) Salary-tracking site Spotrac lists Smith’s Jets deal as a one-year contract with a $3.3 million base and $3.3 million guaranteed for 2026, consistent with the Jets shouldering the veteran-minimum portion. ( spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/12320/geno-smith ) Geno is 35 years old and was originally a second-round pick of the Jets in the 2013 NFL Draft, which frames this move as a low-cost veteran stopgap given his age and history with the franchise. ( spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/12320/geno-smith ) Mock drafts after the Geno move still project the Jets carrying a large haul of selections — one recent mock lists the team with 11 picks and places a quarterback (Ty Simpson) in the middle of Round 1 for New York’s secondary first-round slot. ( sports.yahoo.com/articles/ny-jets-mock-draft-2026-090442577.html ) Draft analysts continue to list Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza as the consensus QB1 and the heavy favorite to go No. 1 to the Raiders, according to ESPN’s scouting report and rankings. ( espn.com/nfl/draft2026/story/_/id/47745045/fernando-mendoza-quarterback-indiana-2026-nfl-draft-scouting-report-rankings-stats ) The Raiders have scheduled a pre-draft visit with Mendoza as part of their formal pre-draft process, underscoring the league-wide expectation he’s the No. 1 pick. ( raiderswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2026/03/26/raiders-to-host-qb-fernando-mendoza-on-pre-draft-visit/89328739007/ ) Debate persists over the QB pecking order — former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky publicly argued Ty Simpson is the true top prospect while analysts like Mel Kiper Jr. push Mendoza ahead, leaving the Jets with competing evaluations to weigh. ( cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-draft-top-qb-fernando-mendoza-ty-simpson/ profootballnetwork.com/mel-kiper-ty-simpson-fernando-mendoza-march-2026/ ) The 2026 NFL Draft runs April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, setting the calendar by which the Jets must finalize whether to use mid/late first-round capital or continued veteran options to address the quarterback spot. ( nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-draft-dates-times-location-how-to-watch-and-more )
