Jets predicted to land $180 million Pro Bowl quarterback in 2026

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Jets predicted to land $180 million Pro Bowl quarterback in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Jets are getting set to wrap up their 2025 season, and it was yet another campaign that left their fans filled with disappointment.

The Jets will finish with at most four wins, which marks the eighth season since 2014 that New York has finished with five or fewer wins, and it is also their 10th consecutive losing season. 2025 also saw yet another failed attempt for the Jets to find their answer at quarterback. After signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal, the Ohio State product was benched before making it through the season. Because of this, the Jets are heavily expected to draft another quarterback. However, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report labels the Jets as a potential landing spot for Kirk Cousins.

"The Jets currently control the third pick in the draft, which could be enough to get them the second quarterback—the Las Vegas Raiders will, presumably, take a QB like Indiana's Fernando Mendoza or Oregon's Dante Moore first overall," Knox writes. "Of course, the New York Giants, who have Jaxson Dart, could flip the second overall pick to another QB-needy team, leaving the Jets grasping at air on draft night. Cousins would be a terrific bridge starter if New York can guarantee him that it won't pull him for a rookie midseason. Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand operated with a similar pocket passer in Jared Goff as the Detroit Lions' passing game coordinator the last two seasons."

"Until the Jets have found a signal-caller who can guide them back to relevance, they should throw every possible dart at the position."

Cousins has started seven games in 2025 in relief of Michael Penix, who went down with a torn ACL. The four-time Pro Bowler was signed by Atlanta in 2024 to a $180 million deal, but was benched at the tail end of the 2024 season. If given the right offense, we've seen what Cousins is capable of in the past. Pairing him with Garrett Wilson, a good run game, and a good offensive line would give the Jets a proven veteran and a safe bridge quarterback while the quarterback they all but certainly will take can sit and learn for a year.