Raiders could provide the Jets with another intriguing quarterback scenario

The New York Jets began the new league year in style, unexpectedly acquiring Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith and bringing an old friend home. 

With less than two months until Week 1, could the Jets and Raiders make another quarterback trade?

No, Smith isn’t headed back to Las Vegas, nor are the Raiders parting ways with Fernando Mendoza. 

Aidan O’Connell has gone from occasional starter to buried on the depth chart, and he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract. 

That sure sounds like the makings of a possible trade candidate, though it’s not one the Jets should think too hard about. 

Should the Jets trade for the Raiders’ Aidan O’Connell?

On the one hand, O’Connell is arguably a better backup than Bailey Zappe, and he has the experience that Cade Klubnik and Brady Cook lack. 

That said, O’Connell turns 28 in September and is a pending free agent. If a contender wants O’Connell, they could probably get him for a Day 3 pick. 

Such a move, though, does not help the Jets at this stage of their rebuild. 

We don’t know if O’Connell is a viable quarterback worth considering for a long-term spot, and that should be the deciding factor. 

The transfer portal and current college climate mean you have more quarterbacks hitting free agency following their age-27 or age-28 seasons.  

O’Connell was a fourth-round pick who played six years of college. If the Jets really wanted him, then perhaps they’d have traded for him instead of Smith.

But Smith made the most sense at the time, and there’s no reason yet for the Jets to have any sense of buyer’s remorse. 

None of this is to say O’Connell lacks trade value. In fact, he appeals far more than he does to teams like the Jets or Cardinals.

We’ve seen a lack of quarterback depth derail teams’ championship hopes, and I’m not even talking about losing an elite quarterback like Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow.

Cowboys fans have seen that firsthand with Tony Romo and Dak Prescott multiple times over the last two decades.

Personally, I’d rather have O’Connell backing up Prescott than Joe Milton III. To their credit, though, the Cowboys also have Sam Howell in the mix.

And if O’Connell’s ceiling is as an above-average backup, that’s not a bad thing. Cardinals teammates Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett are living proof that Day 3 picks can stick around, and O’Connell saw Minshew up close with the Raiders in 2024. 

Then, there’s the Josh Johnson path. And yes, he is still going strong at 40 years old. 

Although the Jets stand to upgrade their roster ahead of Week 1, there’s no sense in giving up draft picks for a backup quarterback right now. Let’s see what Zappe and Klubnik can do if they’re forced to step in.

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