Do the NY Jets need to sign another quarterback?

Should the New York Jets add another signal-caller ahead of the 2025 season?

It is a popular question among Jets fans following the retirement of 2024 fifth-round pick Jordan Travis.

Travis entered the NFL as a developmental prospect – an athletic, high-upside quarterback with the tools to grow into a starter over time.

Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in November 2023, Travis was putting together a remarkable final year at Florida State.

Travis helped guide the Seminoles to an unbeaten regular season while completing 63.9% of his passes for 2,756 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. He added seven rushing touchdowns and was widely considered a Heisman contender before the injury.

The Jets were set to go into 2025 with Travis as their developmental quarterback behind Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. Does his surprising retirement warrant the Jets adding another quarterback before the 2025 season?

Should the Jets sign another quarterback?

The answer is a clear no.

Travis’ retirement should have no effect on the Jets’ quarterback plans for 2025.

When they drafted him in the fifth round, the team understood the medical risks and viewed him as a long-term project. He wasn’t healthy at any point last season and was never expected to factor into this year’s depth chart behind Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor.

The Jets already added a worthy replacement for Travis’ developmental role after the draft, signing undrafted free agent Brady Cook out of Missouri.

Cook brings upside to the team’s QB room through his elite athleticism. At 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, Cook ran a 4.59-second 40-yard dash (90th percentile among QB) while posting a 37-inch vertical (94th percentile) and a 128-inch broad jump (98th percentile). He rushed for 1,262 yards and 21 touchdowns during his college career.

Overall, Cook posted a 9.71 Relative Athletic Score, ranking 30th out of 993 quarterbacks since 1987.

Cook needs significant development as a passer; in 2024, he ranked just 73rd out of 128 FBS quarterbacks (min. 200 dropbacks) with a 70.9% adjusted completion percentage. Developing his accuracy will be a challenge for the Jets’ coaches, but Cook’s world-class physical tools give him a high enough ceiling to fill Travis’ shoes as the developmental third quarterback.

New York also has the 25-year-old Adrian Martinez, who appeared in three preseason games for the team last year. Like Cook, Martinez needs refinement as a passer (69.0% adjusted completion percentage in last year’s preseason), but is a good athlete who can make plays with his legs.

The Jets have their starter in Fields, a reliable veteran backup in Taylor, and two developmental options with upside in Martinez and Cook.

Travis’ retirement doesn’t warrant a roster move. New York can stick with the current quarterback group heading into the summer.