Sportsnaut
The 2025 NFL season has made it pretty clear that quarterback Justin Fields doesn’t have much of a future with the New York Jets. However, given how the 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class is looking this fall, the Jets starting quarterback next season might have to come from somewhere else.
Regarding the Justin Fields contract, per Spotrac, New York could designate him as a post-June 1 release next spring. It would leave just a $13 million cap hit in 2026 and a $9 million dead cap in 2027, while providing the front office with an extra $10 million in cap room to operate with. That means, per OverTheCap.com, that New York would have more than $100 million in cap space next offseason.
Keeping that in mind, let’s examine some potential Jets starting quarterback options for 2026 outside of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As of now, Kyler Murray feels like the likeliest option to be the Jets starting quarterback in 2026. The Arizona Cardinals are clearly ready to move on from him, with the regime that drafted and extended him now long gone. He needs a change of scenery to see if his career could be revitalized, much like Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Daniel Jones. Murray is an undisputed quarterback upgrade over Justin Fields, and there are two seasons of film that suggest he can play near a Pro Bowl level. That’s the perfect ceiling to roll the dice. If Murray struggles with New York, the team still has three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Related: Top Kyler Murray Landing Spots for 2026
On the surface, this idea will certainly seem absurd. Tua Tagovailoa has fallen from leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023 and passer rating the season prior to dealing with rumors about his job security. There’s also the division factor, with NFL teams typically not wanting to move a starter within the division. However, New York could also offer the Miami Dolphins a way to get out of the Tua Tagovailoa contract.
Related: Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel
Miami clearly wants a fresh start as an organization. It already fired general manager Chris Grier, and the next head of football operations will likely want his own head coach. Understandably, a coach will want his own quarterback. However, cutting Tagovailoa next offseason—even as a post-June 1 release—leaves a $67.4 million dead cap in 2026 and a $31.8 million dead cap in 2027. Alternatively, a post-June 1 trade designation would leave just a $13.4 million dead cap in 2026 with a $31.8 million hit in 2027. Plus, Miami would create $43 million in cap savings for 2026 after June 1.
In exchange for making that happen, the Jets could receive a draft pick from Miami. It might not be quite the same return as the Brock Osweiler trade (second-round pick), but there would be quality compensation. Then, New York can give Tagovailoa a...
