The New York Jets find themselves in familiar territory this offseason - searching for answers at quarterback. After the Justin Fields experiment fizzled out in 2025 despite a hefty $40 million price tag over two years, the Jets are once again in the market for a signal-caller who can stabilize the offense and give the team a fighting chance in the AFC.
While the draft is always an option, this year’s class doesn’t offer a clear-cut, first-round-ready solution for a team that needs help now, not in two or three seasons. That’s why the Jets have been popping up in quarterback trade rumors, and one name that keeps surfacing is Kyler Murray.
Murray, currently with the Arizona Cardinals, has had a rollercoaster of a career - flashes of brilliance, a couple of Pro Bowl nods, and some frustrating stretches interrupted by injuries. But when healthy, he’s a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who can change a game with both his arm and his legs. And according to a recent proposal from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Jets might not have to give up much to get him.
The hypothetical deal? The Jets receive Kyler Murray and a 2026 sixth-round pick, while the Cardinals get a 2026 fourth-rounder. On paper, that’s a low-risk move for a team that desperately needs a competent starter under center.
Let’s break it down.
From the Jets’ perspective, this is about upside. Murray isn’t an MVP candidate at this stage, but he’s still just 28 and has shown he can play at a high level.
His career passer rating sits at a respectable 92.2, and he’s averaged 624 rushing yards per 17 games - numbers that reflect his ability to extend plays and pick up chunk yardage on the ground. That’s a skill set the Jets haven’t had at quarterback in years.
Yes, there’s the contract. Murray is still on a massive $230 million deal, and the 2026 and 2027 seasons alone come with a combined $78 million price tag that’s difficult to maneuver around.
But the Jets have cap space to work with, and more importantly, they have urgency. Head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey are both under pressure to turn things around quickly.
Taking a swing on a former No. 1 overall pick - especially one who could be had for a Day 3 pick swap - is the kind of calculated risk that could pay off in a big way.
This wouldn’t be a splashy, headline-grabbing move. It’s not trading for a top-five quarterback or drafting the next big thing. But it’s a smart, measured play for a team that needs stability and upside at the most important position on the field.
If Murray can stay healthy and recapture some of the form that made him one of the league’s most exciting young quarterbacks early in his career, the Jets could finally have the steady presence they’ve been searching for. And if it doesn’t work out?
They’ve only moved down two rounds in the draft. That’s a small price to pay for a potential solution to one of the NFL’s most persistent quarterback questions.
Bottom line: This is the kind of move that makes sense for where the Jets are right now - a team with talent on both sides of the ball, a front office in need of results, and a glaring hole at quarterback. Taking a flier on Kyler Murray, especially at this cost, is a gamble worth making.