Eli Manning is already having some fun with the idea of Arch Manning landing in New York - and he’s perfectly willing to imagine it happening with the Jets.
The two-time Super Bowl winner, who helped make the Manning name a big deal in the New York market with the Giants, said he wouldn’t object to his nephew ending up across town.
“For purely selfish reasons, I wouldn’t mind if [Arch] went to the Jets,” said Eli, per the Pardon My Take podcast.
That thought has more bite now because the Jets are stumbling through a rough start and the draft conversation is already creeping into view. New York is 1-3, and the numbers around the rest of the season are ugly.
PerThirtySix has the Jets with the third-worst Elo rating in the league, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans and the Miami Dolphins. Their remaining schedule is also the eighth-hardest by opponent win percentage, tougher than both Tennessee and Miami, who are tied for 19th.
The Jets did beat the Titans in Week 1, and they still have two games left against the Dolphins, who are widely viewed as the favorites for the first overall pick. If New York doesn’t straighten things out soon, those matchups could end up mattering a lot in the draft race.
Arch, meanwhile, is sitting atop the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns and already has major draft buzz. FanDuel Sportsbook lists him with the second-best odds to go first in the 2027 NFL draft, behind only Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
New York also has a possible path to make a big move if it wants one. The Jets hold two extra first-round picks in the 2027 draft, one from the Indianapolis Colts and another from either the Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys, whichever selection ends up higher. Right now, they own the sixth, 11th, and 12th overall picks.
After a strong opener in Nashville, the Jets have dropped three straight, and the direction of their 2026 season is hanging in the balance heading into Week 5.
A home loss to the Cleveland Browns would push the conversation even harder toward the draft and another rough year. A win, though, would get the Jets to 2-0 in the AFC and within one game of .500, with a shot to get there in Week 6 against the division-rival New England Patriots.
If New York falls to Deshaun Watson and the Browns at MetLife Stadium, the Arch-to-New York chatter is only going to get louder. And if Aaron Glenn wants the focus on his team instead of next year’s draft - and whether he’ll still be running it - Sunday becomes a must-handle day.
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Have A New Defensive Concern Against Cleveland
The Jets are heading into their matchup with Cleveland with a new defensive question hanging over the secondary, and it centers on Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Brownlee is working through concussion protocol, and if he cannot suit up, New York would be forced to adjust on the fly in the slot against a Browns offense that will surely notice the opening.
D'Angelo Ponds is the likely next man up, and the rookie has been trending toward a bigger role anyway after seeing more snaps in recent games. If he gets the start at nickel back, it would be another step in his early development, but it would also put added pressure on a young defender in a game where the Jets cant afford much slippage. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have A Bigger Aaron Glenn Fear Right Now
The Jets rough start under Aaron Glenn has only sharpened the scrutiny around the sideline and, by extension, the people making the bigger decisions above it. A 4-17 record is hard to gloss over anywhere, and in New York it has already brought the familiar fan frustration that comes with another slow climb out of the leagues bottom tier. There was at least a small defensive spark recently when the Jets recorded their first interception under Glenn after a historically low takeaway season, but one play is not enough to quiet a fan base looking for something more sustainable.
The larger concern for many supporters is not just the results on the field, but the sense that the coach-owner bond could shape what happens next. Glenn and Woody Johnson have maintained open communication for years, a relationship that dates back to Johnsons purchase of the team in 2000, and that familiarity changes the way this job is viewed from the outside. Even with calls for change growing louder, the feeling around the building is that Glenn has a level of organizational backing most coaches do not, which makes the question less about immediate movement and more about how long the Jets are willing to ride this out. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Projected For Aggressive QB Swing If Season Keeps Sliding
A 1-3 start has already put the Jets in an uncomfortable early-season spot, and the next stretch will go a long way toward determining how far this season can drift. Even with an upcoming meeting against the Browns still ahead, the conversation around the franchise is already widening beyond the current roster and toward what comes next if the slide continues.
One recent mock draft from Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice takes that line of thinking all the way to the top of the board, projecting a bold move up for a quarterback who would instantly change the teams long-term outlook. The scenario has the Jets positioned to climb into the most coveted spot in the draft without emptying every future premium pick, a kind of swing that would only enter the picture if the losses keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]