The Jets don’t have Baker Mayfield on the roster, but they do have a reason to keep one eye on Tampa Bay all summer.
Mayfield is heading into the last year of his Buccaneers contract, and there’s no sign the two sides are close to a new deal before Week 1. He already set a pre-training camp deadline, with Tampa Bay scheduled to report on July 28. That puts the situation on a clock, even if the most likely outcome is still that Mayfield opens the season in a Buccaneers uniform.
A 2026 move to the Jets, though, is a different story. The Buccaneers have no reason to trade him, and Mayfield hasn’t suggested he’d sit out without a new contract. He remains the face of a team trying to shake off last year’s collapse, and at 31, he’s in the middle of the kind of stretch that usually leads to a major payday.
That matters in New York because the Jets are still searching for their quarterback answer. Geno Smith is a pending free agent and will turn 36 in October, and Cade Klubnik’s presence doesn’t change the need to keep pursuing a long-term solution. The expectation around the league is that the Jets will be in the market next offseason, whether that comes through free agency, a trade, or the draft.
And they do have ammunition. With three first-round picks, the Jets could be positioned to swing a trade for a quarterback or move up for one of the top prospects.
Mayfield is the kind of player who fits the profile they should want. He’s proven himself, he plays with toughness, and the “bust” label that once followed him is long gone. Barring a major injury, he’s also the type of quarterback who should command a huge contract next offseason.
The fit gets even more interesting when you look at the pieces around him. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson alone would make the idea appealing, and there’s more upside if Adonai Mitchell and Mason Taylor take real steps forward. The Jets also spent first-round picks on tight end Kenyon Sadiq and receiver Omar Cooper Jr., giving Mayfield the chance to step into a young offense with a lot of talent, even if plenty of that group still has to prove it can deliver.
If Mayfield gets to camp and still doesn’t sign an extension, the Jets could at least start laying the groundwork for an offseason pitch. Given the franchise’s long history of quarterback problems, that’s enough to understand why they should be watching this situation closely.
In Other News...
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Geno Smiths offseason has already turned into an uncomfortable subplot for a player who was supposed to be a familiar name in a new chapter, and now it is drawing attention again just as camp approaches. The latest issue came on a July 6 traffic stop in Florida, where he was cited for speeding and for failing to produce his drivers license, adding another layer to a summer that has not stayed quiet for long.
The bigger concern is the off-field scrutiny hanging over him, with police still looking into battery allegations tied to a June incident at his residence. The NFL and the Jets have acknowledged the situation but have not said much beyond that, and Smith has not been charged with a crime, but the fact that his name keeps surfacing in police matters is the kind of distraction no team wants following a player into training camp. [Read more 🡒]
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Walkers value is the kind that tends to show up only after a season has played out. Over the final five games, he was steady enough to matter on defense and dependable enough to stay on the field in kicking situations, and that combination is what gives him a legitimate path into 2026. He is expected to push for a backup linebacker job while remaining part of the special-teams mix, which is exactly the sort of behind-the-scenes contribution that can quietly shape a roster. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Linked To A Cornerback Fans Will Have Strong Feelings About
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The appeal is easy to see from a football standpoint, even with the questions that come with any player trying to reestablish himself after a disrupted stretch. Arnold was limited to eight games last season because of a shoulder injury that required surgery, so any team considering him is weighing both his talent and how quickly he can get back to form. His agent believes a signing could come within the next 45 days, which keeps this one on the Jets radar for the moment. [Read more 🡒]