The New York Jets have bided their time this offseason.
That patience could pay dividends. Eagles reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks shared a 53-man roster prediction ahead of training camp. He predicted that Philadelphia would cut QB Andy Dalton and attempt to add him to the practice squad.
Dalton, 38, will turn 39 during the 2026 season. The former TCU product is entering his 16th season, which means he is a vested veteran. In other words, he doesn’t have to pass through waivers. If the Eagles were to cut him, he could immediately sign with any team that he chooses.
Dalton is a former three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
Jets Would Have a Pretty Good Recruiting Pitch
In this scenario, Dalton would have a choice.
Stay with the Eagles, but be on the practice squad. Or join the Jets as the QB2 behind Geno Smith on the 53-man roster.
That alone would be a strong lean to the Jets. You’d get a better paycheck and the glory of being on an active roster versus a scout team quarterback.
The other thing the Jets have going for them is the inside connection.
“The Eagles have Tanner McKee, rookie Cole Payton, and Dalton all in the quarterback room behind Jalen Hurts. It’s possible Philadelphia intends to keep all four, but of the group, Dalton would feel like the most gettable as a 38-year-old — and his ties to Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich don’t hurt,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic wrote.
Reich crossed over with Dalton in Carolina.
Frank was hired as the Panthers’ head coach in 2023. One of the first moves he made was signing Dalton as the veteran passer. Reich would later get fired during his first season with the team.
Now these two have an opportunity to reconnect in New York with the Jets.
Insider Shares Jets’ Latest Stance on QB Situation
Every NFL reporter for The Athletic was asked what the “outstanding” question is for each of the teams they cover. For the Jets, Rosenblatt said it’s who will be the backup QB?
“The Jets opted against adding any veteran quarterback of note to back up Geno Smith — an interesting strategy for an organization with a not-so-rich history of starting quarterbacks getting injured. They dabbled with interest in Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz, but never seriously pursued either,” Rosenblatt revealed.
“The No. 2 in minicamp and OTAs was Bailey Zappe, who started eight games for the Patriots from 2022 to 2023. His only competition is fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, who started off the spring hot but ended with some inconsistency and a back injury that knocked him out of some practices. Would the Jets really go into training camp or the season with this group? It’s possible they’re waiting for other QB situations to settle, but for now, this is the group — plus Brady Cook — that they’re rolling with,” Rosenblatt wrote.
The Jets know better than anyone how important a backup quarterback is. Over the last 11 seasons, the Jets have been forced to use multiple starting quarterbacks in 9 of those 11 years.
It almost feels like a foregone conclusion that the Jets will once again use multiple passers in 2026. They’d better be prepared for that reality.
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