Carson Wentz-Jets Deal 'Unlikely' Despite Loud Rumors

The New York Jets have officially the franchise's reunion with Geno Smith, but there is still more work to do in the quarterback room.

New York made the news of the Smith trade official on Wednesday afternoon after the new league year began.

OFFICIAL: We've acquired QB Geno Smith and a 2026 7th-round pick from the Raiders
— New York Jets (@nyjets) March 11, 2026

The Jets are still looking around

Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Smith comes back to town as the likely starter and will help this team out. But what about the backup job? Carson Wentz's name has been out there consistently in rumors for what feels like weeks at this point. SNY's Connor Hughes reported on Tuesday that New York was "squarely" in the mix for the former Pro Bowler. Hughes also reported on March 6 that Wentz was viewed as Frank Reich's "preferred" option. But, things seem to have shifted, at least where the rumor mill is concerned. On Wednesday afternoon, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported that Wentz is now "unlikely" to sign with the Jets.

"On Jets QB2 situation: They're still exploring their options," Rosenblatt wrote. "They had interest in Carson Wentz but he's unlikely to be signing with the Jets as of now, according to multiple sources. Things can still change — but that's where it stands."

Wentz is still available, so nothing can be fully ruled out at this time. He would be a good pickup to be the team's No. 2 option. He has plenty of experience as a starter and as a backup, is a former Pro Bowler and is a Super Bowl champion. Plus, he showed last season with the Minnesota Vikings that he could replace an injured starter on a moment's notice and still be effective. Arguably, the Vikings' offense looked better with Wentz under center than JJ McCarthy, but that's a different discussion.

At this moment, there's no clear path forward for the Jets with the No. 2 quarterback spot. With starting jobs filling up all over the place, it wouldn't be the craziest idea in the world to simply keep Justin Fields as a backup. There aren't many starting jobs available and he's already under contract. So, if he's potentially going to land a backup job somewhere, why not just keep him in town? We'll see what happens but it does sound like things shifted with Wentz.