Jets trade idea may be their only shot at landing Fernando Mendoza

The New York Jets are in desperate need of a quarterback. It's probably the most glaring need for any NFL team heading into the NFL offseason.

Of course, in a year where the Jets are picking No. 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, it's a one-quarterback class with Indiana's Fernando Mendoza sitting at the top and Oregon's Dante Moore heading back to school for another season of college football.

Is there any world where the quarterback-needy Las Vegas Raiders move off of the No. 1 pick and open their phone lines to a potential trade?

Jets trade idea sends two first-round picks to Raiders for No. 1 overall

In a deal proposed by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, the Jets would send the Raiders their two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft for No. 1 overall.

The deal essentially lands Mendoza for the Jets, solving their longstanding quarterback problem with a hopeful franchise quarterback. The Heisman Trophy winner is widely regarded as the best and most pro-ready quarterback in this 2026 class.

"Now, it feels extremely unlikely Las Vegas would make the move...However, the pre-draft process is only just getting underway. The Raiders could decide after interviews and further study that Mendoza isn't the sort of "sure thing" worth passing up extra draft capital to get. They may choose to build up their supporting cast first and find a quarterback later."

Kristopher Knox

In a vacuum, this deal is an absolute slam dunk for the Jets. They sacrifice two first-round picks to hopefully solve their quarterback problem for the foreseeable future, and they still have two picks in the second round to continue building out their roster.

Most trades for the No. 1 overall pick require a more significant offer. Most recently, the Carolina Panthers shipped two firsts, two seconds, and star wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the opportunity to select Bryce Young in 2023. But in fairness, the No. 2 pick is fairly valuable in and of itself.

Regardless, it remains incredibly unlikely the Raiders actually do move the No. 1 pick. Their long-standing search for a quarterback rivals only the Jets, and I doubt anyone in their building wants to roll out veteran Geno Smith for another season.

All the chatter coming out of the Senior Bowl in January was that the Raiders have no intention of moving off their pick, and the Jets are likely to have no other option but to grab a veteran in free agency or the trade market.