Jets Make First Quarterback Move Of Offseason

The Jets made a good move right away

This is the type of move that raises the floor for the franchise a bit. With Zappe signing a futures deal, the Jets already have a bit more depth for 2026. It's hard to go wrong with a futures deal. They are deals that don't impact the salary cap or roster count until the new league year.

Zappe has 15 games of National Football League experience under his belt. In 2022, he played in four games with the New England Patriots -- including two starts. In 2023, he played in 10 games, with six starts. In 2024, he played in one game with the Cleveland Browns.

Zappe also has experience on the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad.

For the Jets, they rolled with Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook at quarterback. Things didn't go well and the undrafted rookie finished the campaign as the team's starter. With Zappe joining the fold, the Jets should have at least a solid No. 3 with the franchise heading into the offseason.

This is just the first quarterback move of the offseason for New York, but it shouldn't be the last. Taylor is going to be a free agent and Fields' future is up in the air. The Jets did a good job securing a depth piece with playing experience. The next steps when the offseason really gets going should be finding a starter and another backup. It would be wise if one of the options were a rookie as well, whether with the No. 2 or No. 16 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.