Jets Reportedly Explored Trade for NFC East QB Before Geno Smith Deal

The New York Jets made their 2026 quarterback move by acquiring Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a late-round pick swap of 2026 NFL Draft picks.

By acquiring Smith, the Jets seem ready to skip an early-round quarterback in April's NFL Draft in hopes of securing one in 2027. Smith is expected to be the bridge quarterback, representing possibly his last starting opportunity, as New York aims to have a competitive quarterback option next season.

Before finalizing the deal for Smith, the Jets reportedly looked into a trade that would have sent Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee to New York, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, though the asking price for the young quarterback was too high.

Darren Mougey made the smart decision by acquiring Smith

Aug 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) in a game against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"[The Jets] looked into trading for guys like Tanner McKee and Davis Mills and Mac Jones," Cimini said on NFL podcast The Saturday Huddle. "Those teams were asking for second-round picks for these guys, so exorbitant prices.

Jones was expected to have a high asking price, with some even suggesting that the San Francisco 49ers might have requested a first-round pick for the 2021 No. 15 overall pick. McKee would have been more appealing to New York than Mills, but it seems the second-round price was too steep.

McKee has one year left on his rookie contract before he becomes eligible for free agency in the 2027 offseason. The Eagles reportedly traded for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers, which almost confirms that Philadelphia is considering trading McKee before he signs with another team after next season.

Still just 25, McKee stood out in the 2025 preseason for the Eagles, but the former sixth-round pick only played two games during the regular season as he continued to sit behind starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. McKee started in the final game of the season against the Washington Commanders, completing 52.5% of his passes for 241 yards and a touchdown.

The Jets probably would have been interested in a deal for McKee if the asking price had been much lower than a second-round pick. During a rebuild, parting with a top-64 pick to acquire a potential one-year quarterback rental just wouldn't have made sense for general manager Darren Mougey and the Jets. Mougey realized that switching to Smith was a safer choice given the draft capital.