Insider explains if Jets could target Shedeur Sanders after signing Justin Fields

Analysts and reporters suggested throughout March that the recently hired New York Jets regime could at least consider taking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders if Sanders falls to the seventh overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

The Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40M deal with $30M guaranteed early into free agency. 

For a piece published Tuesday evening, Jets insider Rich Cimini of ESPN addressed that topic.

"Publicly and privately," Cimini said, "the messaging from team officials is that they're all-in on quarterback Justin Fields. They still could draft a quarterback, but it seems unlikely to happen in the first round even if Colorado's Shedeur Sanders falls to them at No. 7."

It's unknown if the Cleveland Browns (pick No. 2) and New York Giants (No. 3) will target playmakers such as Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter over Sanders. Even if Sanders remains on the board after the Giants spend their selection, he could go to the Las Vegas Raiders at choice No. 6. 

"Not only do the Jets want to capitalize on Fields' running ability," Cimini continued, "but they believe he can do more as a pocket passer than he did in his previous stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2024) and Chicago Bears (2021-23). They point to his improvement in accuracy last season as a sign of his upward trajectory as a passer. He completed 66% of his passes in 2024, compared with 60% in three seasons with the Bears."

It was previously reported that at least some within the Jets are "enamored with" Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart. Some observers have Dart ranked ahead of Sanders among prospects in this year's draft class, and it appears team executives around the league aren't completely buying that the Jets are as "all-in" on Fields as Cimini said.

"They are betting that with Justin, they have someone who is going to be big, strong, can play in the run game as they get the quarterback they want for the future," one executive said about the Jets during a recent chat with The Athletic's Mike Sando. "The question is, do they draft one in the top 10? Do they draft Jaxson Dart or one of these other guys? I think they went in with a plan to get Justin and one other guy."

Jets general manager Darren Mougey may have entered March thinking he could get Dart either with a second-round pick or by acquiring a late first-round choice on the night of April 24. In his latest mock draft published on Wednesday, ESPN's Field Yates predicted that the Pittsburgh Steelers will select Dart with pick No. 21.