The Jets may have their bridge quarterback in Geno Smith, but the real conversation in New York is already drifting toward 2027 and the next chance to land a true franchise passer. Under head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, the team is in the middle of a full rebuild, and that makes the quarterback hunt the biggest storyline to watch.
Smith, acquired this offseason from the Las Vegas Raiders, is expected to hold down the job for now. But with the Jets likely to be in range for a top quarterback in the next draft, the focus shifts fast to the 2027 class. And there are three names Jets fans should have on their radar all season long.
Arch Manning sits at the top of the list. The Texas quarterback is the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall, and the appeal is obvious.
After a rough start to the 2025 season, Manning finished with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His arm talent and mobility give him the kind of ceiling teams chase at the top of the draft, and his ability to work the pocket separates him from the pack.
If New York ends up with the first pick, Manning looks like the cleanest path to a new face of the franchise.
Dante Moore is another name worth tracking, especially because the Jets will get another look at him after he returned to Oregon for the 2026 season. Moore may not have the deepest toolbox among the projected first-round quarterbacks, but his accuracy and ball placement stand out.
The biggest swing factor for him will be how he handles pressure, after some shaky moments against it. If he sharpens that part of his game, he could fit into offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s system for a long time.
Then there’s LaNorris Sellers, the quarterback with perhaps the most to prove over the next college season. The South Carolina signal-caller checks in at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, and his blend of size, mobility and arm strength gives him real upside as a dual-threat passer.
At the same time, he’s still viewed as a developmental prospect who will need time before he’s ready to take over as a starter. That makes this season huge for his draft stock.
For Jets fans, the message is simple: Geno Smith may be the present, but the 2027 draft could decide the future.
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Mykal Walker arrived on the Jets practice squad before the 2025 season with little fanfare, but he ended up becoming part of the defensive mix when the year mattered most. Over the final five games, he settled in as a steady contributor on defense and special teams, the kind of late-season development that can sneak up on a roster and quietly change the depth chart.
Walkers value now goes beyond simply filling snaps. He showed enough reliability in that stretch to put himself in position for a real backup linebacker competition heading into 2026, while also remaining a key special-teams piece. For a Jets team always looking for affordable, dependable contributors, that makes him a name worth tracking even if he still flies under the radar. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Linked To A Cornerback Fans Will Have Strong Feelings About
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The football side of the appeal is easy to see for a Jets team that can always use more help at corner, but Arnolds path back is still unfolding after a season shortened by a shoulder injury that required surgery. His agent expects him to sign with a team within the next 45 days, which leaves the Jets and the rest of the interested clubs weighing talent, timing and the kind of off-field baggage that can make a short list feel a lot longer. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have Every Right To Be Furious Over This Breece Hall Take
NFL.coms Matt Okada gave the Jets an A- for their offseason work, and the grade made sense on the surface. New York added impact pieces in the draft and made a trade that helped shape the roster, so there was plenty to like about the front offices approach as the team tries to build around Aaron Glenns new era.
But Okada also took aim at Breece Halls three-year extension, and thats the kind of critique Jets fans are unlikely to shrug off. Hall is still just 25, has been available far more often than not since his 2022 ACL tear, and has been one of the few steady offensive pieces on the roster, which is why the debate around his deal has become so interesting. The tension is less about whether Hall can play and more about what kind of team the Jets think they are right now, and whether paying him like part of the future was a smart bet or a premature one. [Read more 🡒]