Jets Free Agency: Key Targets and Predictions
Ranking the Jets' QB Options, Top Free Agent Targets, and Predicting Their Likely Signings
The Jets have plenty of holes to fill, but none bigger than the one under center.
The new hierarchy made the right call moving on from Aaron Rodgers. At 42 next season and clearly past his prime, he wasn’t the long-term answer. With the team unlikely to contend anyway, it made sense to reset and bring in a quarterback who won’t overshadow the rest of the roster.
Aaron Glenn is focused on building a new culture with the Jets, and having Rodgers around could have cast too big of a shadow over the rookie head coach. Now comes the real challenge—finding the right quarterback to lead this next chapter.
At the top of my wishlist—and seemingly the Jets' as well—is Justin Fields.
With Fields, the Jets could fully commit to a run-heavy offense. They already have a strong offensive line and a talented backfield, and pairing Fields with Breece Hall in a read-option attack could be deadly. He’s still young, an elite athlete, and a high-upside gamble. Maybe he breaks out in New York the way Sam Darnold and Geno Smith did elsewhere. ESPN has linked him to the Jets, reporting, “They like the idea of a dual-threat QB. Fields has looked at that roster and sees some intrigue there, too.” There’s been plenty of buzz connecting him to Gang Green.
Tyrod Taylor is already on the roster, and while he wouldn’t be a terrible option, he’s far from thrilling. Taylor’s a solid game manager who limits turnovers, so the Jets could lean into a ball-control offense with a heavy run game and the occasional deep shot. The real concern with Taylor is his durability—or lack thereof. Given his injury history, the Jets would need to bring in another QB who can step up and start if needed.
One more quarterback I’m mildly interested in is Daniel Jones. He’s essentially a lower-upside version of Fields but still fits the Jets’ run-first philosophy with the potential for read-option plays. Jones has had solid seasons in the past—his struggles have mostly come from the lack of support around him in recent years. Maybe a fresh start with the Jets could unlock his potential.
Kirk Cousins will eventually be available, but I’m not sure the Jets will be interested. He’s another aging QB with limited mobility, and after parting ways with Rodgers, bringing in Cousins just doesn’t seem to fit the direction they’re heading.
The Jets could look to find a QB in the draft, though I think it’s a long shot. At pick 7, they’re too far out to land one of the top two QBs, and trading up just doesn’t align with where they’re at. The top two prospects have their flaws and aren’t exactly “can’t miss” guys. With so many other needs, it’d be hard to justify trading away assets for a QB. A mid-round pick could be an option, but don’t expect that player to make an impact next season.
The reality is, the Jets aren’t likely to land their franchise QB this offseason. The free agent options aren’t built for the long haul, and their draft position puts them out of range for the top prospects.
The focus should be on getting a QB who can contribute to the run game and protect the ball. Taylor, Fields, and Jones all fit that mold. With one of these quarterbacks, the Jets could field a competitive team and potentially finish with a 9-8 record. That would bring some much-needed optimism back to the franchise. Once the foundation is solid, it’ll be time to focus on finding that franchise QB for the future.
My prediction is the Jets sign Justin Fields to be their starting QB.
Aside from quarterback, the Jets’ biggest needs are at wide receiver, tight end, defensive tackle, cornerback, and safety. They should prioritize adding young, up-and-coming talent to fill these gaps.
Re-signing Jamien Sherwood should be a top priority for the Jets. He was one of the few bright spots on last year’s squad, and at just 25, he’s only going to improve.
The free agent wide receiver class isn’t exactly stacked, but there are still some interesting names out there. One of my top targets would be Darius Slayton. He’s consistently put up solid numbers, even with struggling offenses. The Jets' run-heavy attack with occasional play-action deep shots would be a perfect fit for his skill set.
A few other names the Jets could have their eye on include Josh Palmer, Dyami Brown, DeMarcus Robinson, and Tim Patrick.
The Jets need to add two wide receivers—one for deep shots and another for the intermediate game. A deep threat like Slayton, Brown, or Robinson paired with an intermediate option like Palmer or Patrick would make a lot of sense.
As much as I’d prefer Slayton, he’s older and could command a pricier deal. My guess is the Jets end up signing Josh Palmer as their big move at WR.
When it comes to tight end, I expect the Jets’ new front office to prioritize bringing in a strong blocking option. Mo Alie-Cox stands out to me—at 6’5” and 260 pounds, he’s got the size to make an impact in the trenches.
I’m also intrigued by Juwan Johnson, but he’s more of a slot receiver than a traditional tight end. I don’t see the Jets making a big push to sign a player like him.
I’m predicting the Jets bring in Mo Alie-Cox as part of their effort to build a run-heavy offense.
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Another major need for the Jets is defensive tackle. They had serious struggles against the run last season, and with almost no defensive lineman signed for next year, this is a spot they have to prioritize.
Two players I’m eyeing are Poona Ford and D.J. Jones. Ford is a standout against the run, while Jones has the added connection of playing in Denver under new GM Darren Mougey. My prediction is the Jets sign Jones, given the familiarity and relationship with their new front office.
Teair Tart is another solid option, similar to Ford, but he should come at a more affordable price. The Jets need depth on the interior defensive line, so I’m predicting they’ll bring in Tart too.
Cornerback is Glenn's area of expertise, so I’d expect the Jets to invest in the position and look to replace free agent DJ Reed.
Glenn coached one of the top free-agent cornerbacks last year in Carlton Davis while in Detroit. He’d be a great addition, though his injury history is a concern. Charvarius Ward is another strong option, having played under the Jets’ new defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, in San Francisco. Both Davis and Ward will likely come with a hefty price tag.
Paulson Adebo is a younger, more affordable option for a team with plenty of needs. With Sauce Gardner due for a big payday soon, committing major money to another corner like Davis or Ward could be tough. My prediction is the Jets opt for the younger, more cost-effective Adebo.
Safety might be the deepest position in this free-agent class, which works out well for the Jets, given they have almost nothing locked in at the position right now.
Jevon Holland is the top option, but he’ll come with a hefty price tag, and with so many solid choices available, I think the Jets will look elsewhere. My top target is Talanoa Hufanga. He was an All-Pro in 2022 and has the added connection of playing under Wilks, which works in the Jets' favor. The big question with Hufanga has been his durability, but given the Jets’ current position and low expectations, taking a chance on a high-upside player like him makes sense. At just 25, he’s the kind of player the Jets should target—if he stays healthy, he could be an incredible value.
Justin Reid would be another solid option—a safer bet and a proven veteran who will likely draw a lot of interest. However, I think the Jets will lean towards the higher-upside play with Hufanga, while also bringing in one of Glenn’s former players, Ifeatu Melifonwu, to add some depth and familiarity to the secondary. With Hufanga and Melifonwu the Jets will have the hardest safety combination to spell in the entire NFL.
The Jets will need to make some roster cuts to fit all these moves under the cap. Here’s who could be on the chopping block: Allen Lazard, CJ Mosley, Michael Clemons, and Greg Zuerlein.
My final free agent scoreboard:
Re-sign LB Jamien Sherwood
QB Justin Fields
WR Josh Palmer
TE Mo Alie-Cox
DT D.J. Jones
DT Teair Tart
CB Paulson Adebo
S Talanoa Hufanga
S Ifeatu Melifonwu
I’ve aimed to make these signings as realistic as possible, keeping the Jets’ cap space and needs in mind. Currently, they sit with the 13th most cap space in the league, with room for more if they make the cuts mentioned earlier. If they can pull off moves like these, it could set them up for an exciting first season under the Glenn/Mougey-led Jets.
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