The New York Jets find themselves in a familiar spot heading into the 2026 off-season — looking for a franchise quarterback.
The 2025 NFL season was even more disappointing than usual for Jets fans, despite being used to missing the playoffs over the past decade, they had to watch their bitter rivals, the New England Patriots return to the Super Bowl…and just to throw some salt on their wounds, the Patriots lost to former Jets first-round pick, Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks.
If the Jets want to do what they haven’t been able to do in nearly two decades and compete with their in-division rivals in the Patriots and Buffalo Bills, they’ll need to find their own MVP candidate to match Drake Maye and Josh Allen.
In a projected trade by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Jets take a swing and look to secure their own franchise signal caller in the form of former first overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner, Kyler Murray.
The proposed deal would see the Jets hoping to do what the Seahawks just did with the aforementioned Darnold, but this time, being on the right end of history, and would only need to part ways with a fourth-round pick to do so.
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Murray’s 2025 season was hampered by injuries and a reported falling out with the club’s coaching staff and front office. The former Heisman Trophy winner was thought to be ready to return from a foot injury, but was ruled out for the remainder of the season by now-fired head coach, Jonathan Gannon ahead of the Cardinals’ Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Gannon’s announcement ignited the rumored feud between head coach and quarterback. The new Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, Gannon, opted to continue starting veteran signal caller, Jacoby Brissett over Murray for the Cardinals’ final handful of games despite Murray reportedly being ready to return around Week 11 or 12. The decision proved to be costly for Gannon, who was fired following a 3-14 season, which started 2-0 when Murray was under center.
With Gannon’s future secured with the Packers, Murray’s starting job with the Cardinals is murky as best and the club may very well be willing to eat the $17.9 million dead cap hit that would be due if the club traded or cut the 2019 first overall pick ahead of the 2026 season.
The Jets, or any team acquiring Murray in a trade would be on the hook for $52.6 million in 2026 and $43.5 million in 2027.
