The Jets are being pushed toward a quarterback decision that could shape the rest of their season, and it starts with a familiar name from the 2021 draft. NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named New York as a potential trade fit for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones, with a conditional 2027 second-round pick pegged as the asking price.
Jones has done enough in San Francisco to stay on the radar. Last season, he played in 11 games for the 49ers, threw for 2,151 yards and 13 touchdowns, and finished 5-3. He is now the No. 2 quarterback behind Brock Purdy, but his résumé stretches well beyond one backup season in the Bay Area.
The 15th overall pick in 2021 began his career with the New England Patriots, where he spent his first three seasons. Jones made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, then hit a rough patch in Years 2 and 3. After a season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, he moved to San Francisco in the offseason of 2025 on a two-year, $8.4 million deal.
Across 63 NFL games with the Patriots, Jaguars and 49ers, Jones has totaled 12,741 passing yards and 67 passing touchdowns.
New York, meanwhile, is searching for answers at 1-3. The Jets brought in Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason, and in his second stint with the team, Smith has posted 902 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 72.6% of his throws. Even with those numbers, the offense has not produced enough; the Jets are averaging just 19.0 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league.
That is why Jones has entered the conversation. The case for a move is straightforward: Jones is better than Smith, so New York could call San Francisco and find out what it would take to land him.
If the Jets decide not to part with draft capital for another quarterback, there is another path on the table. Bench Smith and turn to rookie Cade Klubnik. The idea is simple enough: if New York is not going to spend assets on a passer, it might as well see what Klubnik can do.
Klubnik got a look in the preseason and completed 21 of 34 passes for 190 yards. He did not throw a touchdown and was intercepted once.
His stock has already taken a hit from where it once stood. Entering the 2025 college football season, Klubnik was projected as one of the top picks in the 2026 draft, but after he and Clemson struggled, that changed. The Jets still selected him with the 110th overall pick in the 2026 draft, and despite the slide, he remains confident in his game.
Klubnik closed the 2025 college season with 2,943 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. Over his Clemson career, he threw for 10,123 yards and 73 touchdowns.
In Other News...
Jets May Finally Get WR Help But One Question Still Looms
The Jets receiver room may be getting a little healthier soon, which comes as welcome news for an offense that has had to navigate injuries to key pass-catchers. Tim Patrick has now completed the required four-game absence and is eligible to return to practice, giving the team at least a chance to add some experienced help back into the mix after a stretch of uncertainty.
Omar Cooper Jr. is still a longer wait, since he remains on injured reserve and has to sit out at least one more game before his practice window can open. So while the roster picture is beginning to brighten at receiver, the bigger question for the Jets is how quickly that help can actually show up on the field, and whether Patrick will be ready to contribute right away once he ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Opponent Suddenly Has A Quarterback Issue To Sort Out
The Browns have opened the clock on a pair of injured-reserve returns, designating quarterback Dillon Gabriel and defensive tackle Kalia Davis to come back to practice. Cleveland now has 21 days to decide whether either player gets activated to the active roster, a timeline that adds another layer to a quarterback room already worth watching from afar.
Gabriels return is the more interesting subplot for Jets watchers because it forces Cleveland to sort out where he fits behind Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders. Even before the Browns make a decision, the move hints at more quarterback evaluation work ahead, and any shuffle there is the kind of thing opponents keep an eye on as they prepare for a game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Early Slide Could Force Tough Trade Deadline Calls
Three straight losses have quickly turned a promising start into a familiar kind of October pressure for the Jets, and a 1-3 record is already pushing the conversation toward the trade deadline. When a season tilts this early, the questions tend to shift from short-term fixes to longer-term roster decisions, and that is where a few veteran names and contract situations start drawing attention.
Harrison Phillips, Brandon Stephens and Will McDonald IV have all surfaced as players who could enter the discussion if the slide continues, each for different reasons tied to performance and where they fit in the team's plans. The next few weeks could determine whether the Jets try to stay the course or use the deadline to reset pieces of a roster that suddenly looks more fragile than expected. [Read more 🡒]