Jets QB Update: Latest Rumors on Geno Smith’s Backup for 2026 Season

The New York Jets brought Geno Smith back this offseason, acquiring Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders for the No. 228 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

It's a full-circle move for both Smith and the Jets, who seem to have reunited at the right moment. Smith, drafted by the Jets in 2013, needed another opportunity as he approaches the end of his career, while the Jets were looking for a bridge quarterback as they consider the quarterback class of the 2027 NFL Draft.

Barring an unforeseen move, Smith will be the starting quarterback in 2026, but who ends up as his backup remains uncertain. The Jets "are not done" at quarterback, as The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt wrote on Monday.

Who will be the New York Jets' backup QB?

Aug 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; General view of a New York Jets helmet prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

"Carson Wentz was viewed as a likely contender in the days leading up to free agency, but interest elsewhere makes it more likely the Jets go in another direction," Rosenblatt wrote. "The options in free agency aren’t especially appealing at the moment.

"Titans quarterback Will Levis would be intriguing if he didn’t cost too much. Andy Dalton is being considered, but he’s currently on the Panthers roster..."

The youngest player on the list is Levis, who was drafted No. 33 overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2023 NFL Draft. He started 21 games in Tennessee, throwing nearly 4,000 yards, but turnovers hampered his potential (33 total).

Levis entered the 2025 season with a shoulder injury that required surgery, effectively ending his season — and likely his time with the Titans as Tennessee shifted focus to the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Cam Ward. New York could acquire the former second-round pick on a low-risk, one-year rental deal before he becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.

There's also a group of veterans Rosenblatt listed that seem unlikely: Joe Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Russell Wilson. Flacco seems interested in a starting job elsewhere, Garoppolo is expected to return to the Los Angeles Rams, and Wilson is a definite no for the Jets.

Following those three veterans, three more candidates are considered more likely: Cooper Rush, Tyrod Taylor, and Bailey Zappe.

Rush was released by the Baltimore Ravens on March 12 after they signed Tyler Huntley to serve as a backup for superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson. A former undrafted free agent, Rush is now free to sign with any team and would make sense for the Jets if he doesn't out-price what they are willing to pay.

Taylor has been with the Jets since 2024, when he signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the franchise. He's a "beloved figure" in the locker room, as Rosenblatt noted, and would likely be the "mentor" option if New York ends up selecting a quarterback at any point in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Zappe is likely the frontrunner because of his roster status. The 2022 fourth-round pick spent the 2025 season on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad and signed a futures contract with New York in January. He showed flashes in 10 games for the New England Patriots in 2023, completing nearly 60% of his passes for 1,272 yards and seven total touchdowns.

The deal that both Zappe and the Jets agreed on is team-friendly and the easiest for New York to implement among the previously mentioned players. If the Jets like what they see from Zappe in OTAs and training camp, he will probably stay with the team and serve as Smith's backup.