Jets' Frank Reich pursuit could lead to painfully obvious QB trade

The New York Jets have settled on former Miami Dolphins assistant and Aaron Glenn protege Brian Duker to be the team's next defensive coordinator, which means the team now must hire an offensive coordinator after the shocking decision to part ways with Tanner Engstrand.

The frontrunner at this stage seems to be former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator and Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich, who spent the last season as the interim head coach at Stanford. Reich's experience with quarterbacks could be a big factor in the hiring process.

Reich is likely going to have a huge say in who should be the Jets' next quarterback after the mess with Justin Fields. Going on Reich's past history, there is a specific type of quarterback he typically likes more than others. One of them, who has played under Reich and had success before, may end up shaking loose.

While the Jets have often been linked to a trade for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Reich may be partial to Jacoby Brissett. He is bigger, less turnover-prone, and proved to be just as comfortable (if not more so) operating from the pocket than Murray was. He would also cost a lot less in a trade.

Jets may trade for Jacoby Brissett if they hire Frank Reich

Brissett played under Reich for three seasons with the Colts, even serving as the primary starter in 2019 after Andrew Luck's retirement. Brissett threw for 18 touchdowns against six interceptions under Reich, and he may have had his best statistical season with Arizona in 2025.

Brissett may have won just one of his 12 starts, but he tossed 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions while setting a new personal best mark in passing yards. Brissett, who has the lowest interception rate in NFL history among qualified passers, fits in with a coach in Glenn who was manic about avoiding turnovers.

Brissett is going to cost a fraction of what Murray would in any hypothetical deal, and it leaves the Jets in a better position to possibly move away from the veteran in the name of drafting someone young in 2027. The Jets clearly want stability on offense, and Brissett can provide that.

While fans may not be thrilled about the Reich/Brissett combo as pseudo-offensive head coach and quarterback heading into the 2026 season, given what some of the alternatives out there could be, this may not be the worst 1-2 punch in the world.