Jets Predicted to Swing Blockbuster Draft Day Trade with Chargers

The New York Jets already have two selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They have the No. 2 pick, which will likely be used on a star edge rusher. They also have the No. 16 pick, which they could use on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, but it seems unlikely. The Jets seem like they're going to find an impact wide receiver at pick No. 16 unless a top defensive player falls to them.

If the Jets don't want to use the No. 16 pick on Simpson, but they still want to land him, they might need to trade back into the first round for another selection.

Eric Edholm of NFL.com recently projected the Jets would trade for a third pick in the first round by acquiring a 2026 1st-round pick (No. 22 overall), a 2026 2nd-round pick (No. 55 overall), a 2026 4th-round pick (No. 123 overall), and a 2027 3rd-round pick from the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a 2026 2nd-round pick (No. 33 overall) , a 2026 2nd-round pick (No. 44 overall) , a 2026 4th-round pick (No. 103 overall) , and a 2027 2nd-round pick.

Jets could make a move for another first round pick

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs against Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Rolijah Hardy (21) in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"If the Jets want to draft Alabama QB Ty Simpson and address other weighty issues, they might have to trade back into Round 1 for a third first-rounder," Edholm wrote. "They and the Cardinals figure to be the main bidders for Simpson, but New York can blow any team out of the water from a draft-position standpoint. Right now, the Jets own Nos. 2 and 16, and they're loaded for next year, too, possessing three first-rounders in 2027.

"Even if they must jump on Simpson earlier than they want, I think they'll still be anxious to land two more immediate contributors up high. Let's say they take Arvell Reese at No. 2; attacking receiver (or another defensive spot) makes sense, either at 16 or (if they draft Simpson there) at 22. Because the Jets lack a third-rounder this year, they send a second in 2027 over in this mock."

The Jets would almost certainly do this trade. In terms of their first and second round picks, they would go from having two picks in each round to having three picks in the first and one in the second. They would also fall 20 picks in the fourth round, which isn't a big deal, while dropping from round 2 to round 3 in 2027, which also isn't a huge deal considering the Jets have three picks in the first round next year, too.

This proposal would allow the Jets to land two impact starters at picks No. 2 and No. 16, while also having the chance to draft Simpson.

It will all depend on how the Jets view Simpson. If they think he has the chance to be their next franchise quarterback, a move like this is the perfect deal. But if the Jets aren't fully convinced on Simpson, it's hard to see them trade up.