The New York Jetsâ offseason will be full of questions, but the biggest might be how the team plans to address the glaring need for a new starting quarterback.
New York has several options, whether itâs adding a quarterback through the 2026 NFL Draft, free agency, or a trade.
One possibility comes from Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report, who recently predicted that the Jets could find their 2026 quarterback through an in-division trade with the Miami Dolphins that would bring Tua Tagovailoa to New York.
According to Ballentine, the trade details would be:
Jets acquire: QB Tua Tagovailoa, 2027 second-round pick, salary compensation
Dolphins acquire: 2027 fifth-round pick
GettyQB Tua Tagovailoa
Reasoning Behind the Trade
Tagovailoa’s contract is a major expense for the Dolphins, with a projected $56.4 million cap hit in 2026 (per Spotrac), which is not ideal for a team that hasnât seen much success with their 27-year-old quarterback.
“Salary cap dump trades aren’t all that common in the league. However, we could see a rare example play out as the Dolphins look for a way to get out from under Tua Tagovailoa’s contract,” wrote Ballentine.
With the Dolphins potentially looking to get out of a very expensive contract and maybe even start fresh with a new quarterback, a trade is a possibility if they can find a partner to make a deal.
On the Jetsâ side of things, New York will likely have to turn to a veteran to be the starting quarterback in the 2026 season, as the 2026 draft quarterback class is not strong, especially after news broke that highly ranked prospect Dante Moore will not be entering this yearâs draft.
It would not be reasonable for the Jets to force a quarterback selection high in the draft when they can address other major holes on the roster, making adding a veteran the more likely move for New York.
Tagovailoa is an above-average starter statistically, holding a 44-32 record in the NFL. If New York were to trade for the Miami quarterback, they would immediately have a chance to be competitive on the offensive side of the ball.
GettyTagovailoa has an above average record as an NFL starter.
Jets Well-Positioned to Handle Tagovailoaâs Contract
Yes, a trade for Tagovailoa would mean taking on his large contract, but New York is well positioned financially.
“The Jets are uniquely positioned to help the Dolphins out. They have $93.7 million in cap space, which is plenty to take on a significant portion of Tagovailoa’s contract before cutting it in 2027 with little additional cost,” wrote Ballentine.
Ballentine’s trade prediction would allow the Jets to move much closer to “win-now” mode without having to give up many assets.
GettyThe Jets are well-positioned financially.
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