Oct 16, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a New York Jets helmet during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Jets Quarterback Open to Coming Back in 2026

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 9, 2026 1:15 PM ET

The New York Jets are completely up in the air at the most important position on the field right now with the offseason really starting to begin.

The Super Bowl is behind us. Now, every team around the league will be starting to look around as they try to take a step forward for the 2026 season. The fastest way for the franchise to turn things around will be getting the quarterback position right. There's no ifs, ands or buts about that. Even if you have great offensive weapons all around or a juggernaut defense, you need a quarterback who can get the ball out.

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Right now, the Jets don't have a clear answer. Justin Fields is guaranteed $10 million in 2026, but his status with the franchise is up in the air, to say the least. Tyrod Taylor, who initially replaced Fields as the team's starting quarterback, is a pending free agent. Brady Cook got reps down the stretch as the team's starter in place of Fields and Taylor, but New York needs more.

The Jets need to rebuild the quarterback room

This offseason should be about rebuilding the room as a whole. If Frank Reich thinks he can get more out of Fields than the team did in 2025, that's one thing. If not, the Jets should cut their losses. With Taylor, he would be an intriguing veteran to have in a room, but shouldn't be the starter. His future is completely up in the air as a pending free agent, but he did acknowledge during Super Bowl Week that he's open to returning, as shared by Brian Costello of the New York Post.

"I believe in everything [coach Aaron Glenn] is doing,” Taylor said. “I believe he’s the right person to shift the culture in the right way. Right now, it’s a learning curve. I think the guys responded well throughout the locker room, and I think we have the right guys in the locker room to get it changed. ...

"From a personal side, I think I was able to go out and take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to me,” Taylor said. “I think I played at a high level when the opportunity presented itself. I become a free agent in March. I don’t know what the next chapter is, whether it’s with the Jets or somebody else. I’m fully confident in my ability to go out and continue to contribute at a high level, whether it’s through playing or being a mentor and being ready to play.”

Taylor said multiple times throughout Super Bowl Week that he's open to a return, including while joining "The Jake Asman Show."

If the Jets were to bring back Taylor, it should be with a rookie and potentially even another veteran as well. There's no denying the fact that Taylor is a great backup at this stage of his career and it would be good to have him around a young guy. But if the 2025 season showed anything, he dealt with injuries for a chunk of the season, which impacted the room as a whole. If the Jets were to land someone like Kirk Cousins as a starting option with Taylor as a backup and draft a rookie, that would be a step in the right direction.

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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