Why Jets may make this Ty Simpson decision if he falls to second round of 2026 NFL Draft

While New York Jets coaches allegedly "loved" meeting with Ty Simpson this offseason, the Jets reportedly will pass on making the Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback the 16th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on the night of April 23. 

With some continuing to predict that Simpson will fall to the draft's second round, fans and analysts have wondered if the Jets could grab the polarizing prospect at selection No. 33 or No. 44. For an update shared on Wednesday, Jets reporter Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic shared why the team may go in a different direction.

Jets not in a position to draft a project quarterback such as Ty Simpson?

"All the same caveats as to why he won’t go No. 16 apply here," Rosenblatt wrote about the Jets possibly passing on Simpson. "He has more knocks against him (size, lack of experience, lack of arm strength) than reasons to believe he’ll pan out. What purpose would it serve this regime, theoretically on the hot seat, to draft a project quarterback when they need players capable of helping them in 2026?" 

Second-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn possibly needing to produce more than a few wins to keep his job after the club finished this past season with a record of 3-14 is one reason some believe Gang Green will select Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey instead of Ohio State pass-rusher Arvell Reese with the draft's second pick. According to analysts and experts, Bailey is viewed as the more-ready prospect as it pertains to making an impact during September games. 

Why the Jets could take a flier on Ty Simpson

That said, Rosenblatt acknowledged that "the Jets have done a lot of work on Simpson" and that drafting him "becomes more tempting at No. 33 or No. 44 because at that point, there would be less pressure to get him to play as a rookie, more motivation to let him develop (which he needs) and less inclination to decide he’s the franchise quarterback going into the 2027 draft."

While the Jets brought journeyman Geno Smith back to the organization to serve as their 2026 Week 1 starting quarterback, it's unclear how Glenn would handle calls from fans to start Simpson if the club drafts the young signal-caller and Smith performs as poorly as some expect this coming fall. Then again, the Arizona Cardinals could make the Jets' Simpson-related decision easy by trading up to grab the quarterback late in the first round of the draft.