Jets may have an obvious QB trade target hiding in plain sight

The New York Jets have their starting quarterback. That box has officially been checked after trading for Geno Smith earlier this month. But their quarterback room is far from complete. The Jets still need a backup, and the current market isn’t offering many appealing options.

Gone are the likes of Carson Wentz and Andy Dalton, who once seemed like logical targets. With their options dwindling by the day, the Jets might consider resorting to the trade market in search of Smith's backup.

That’s where a name like Will Levis starts to stand out. It might not be the flashiest move, but it’s one that makes a lot more sense than people probably realize.

Sometimes the answer isn’t the obvious veteran free agent or the high-profile trade target. Sometimes it’s about connections. And in the Jets’ case, those connections could quietly point them toward a deal with the Titans.

A Will Levis trade makes a ton of sense for the Jets

The Jets and Titans have built a strong working relationship in a short amount of time. Darren Mougey has been aggressive since taking over, making a dozen trades in just over a year, including multiple deals with Tennessee.

From the Jarvis Brownlee trade to the more recent Jermaine Johnson for T’Vondre Sweat swap, these two front offices are very familiar with each other. That's not an insignificant fact in a league that leans heavily on connections.

It also makes a potential move for Levis far more realistic than other possible options. Levis is exactly the type of low-risk, high-upside option the Jets should be targeting.

A former second-round pick, Levis started 21 games across his first two seasons and showed flashes, even if the consistency wasn’t always there. He missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury and no longer appears to be part of the Titans’ long-term plans. That combination makes him both available and affordable.

While other potential trade targets like Tanner McKee or Tyson Bagent — or even a veteran like Mac Jones — could cost a Day 2 pick, Levis likely wouldn’t require nearly as much. This feels like a Day 3 pick, or even a swap of late-round selections. That's the kind of swing worth taking if you're the Jets.

The Jets don’t necessarily need to find their long-term answer at backup quarterback right now. What they need is upside. The Jets could use a "lottery ticket" of sorts in their quarterback room in 2026, and Levis could be that guy.

He doesn’t have to be the primary backup. The Jets could very well still bring back Tyrod Taylor, who has a lot of fans in that building, as well. Levis doesn’t even have to play. But if he hits, the Jets suddenly have something valuable in their QB room. And if he doesn’t, the cost was minimal.

Moreover, the Jets and Titans don’t just share front office connections — there’s also familiarity on the coaching side. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh has spent much of the offseason collecting ex-Jets like he was Thanos collecting Infinity Stones.

If Saleh was willing to trade for Solomon Thomas, sign Tony Adams, and even bring Tanzel Smart onto his coaching staff, what’s to say he won’t come calling for Jamien Sherwood or another former player to join Jermaine Johnson and company in Nashville?

And that’s the thing about a potential Levis trade — it doesn’t have to exist in a vacuum. It could be part of a larger deal. Maybe the Titans are looking to trade up from No. 4 to No. 2 overall to ensure they land a player like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Levis could be involved in that deal.

Sometimes the most obvious move is the one hiding in plain sight. Will Levis makes a ton of sense as a trade target for a Jets team still searching for backup quarterback solutions.