Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets may be confusing the fanbase in The Big Apple—and the rest of the NFL, for that matter. Sending out mixed signals left to right, the Jets are playing their cards close to the chest. As for the buzz around Ty Simpson, it seems selecting the product out of the University of Alabama remains an option on the table for New York.
Two things can be true. The Jets’ willingness to trade down could signal a final decision on drafting Simpson, but it could also be that New York is playing chess, and not checkers ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. After Glenn’s latest comments on Simpson, it sure looks like the soon-to-be rookie quarterback has made quite a first impression on the Gang Green.
“[Simpson] is obviously a coach’s kid. He’s extremely smart. He works his a– off. Even in the private workout that we had, he was very detailed. We’ll see how this process goes, but he did a good job,” Glenn admitted during the NFL‘s head coaches meeting before the 2026 NFL season, via @snyjets on X.
Jets are keeping tabs on Simpson
Needless to say, the Jets need help in almost every area of the football field. Their 3–14 record in 2025 paints a clear picture of where they stand, and, as much as Glenn and company would love to convince themselves otherwise, things rarely change overnight in the NFL for organizations as troubled as New York’s.
Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide
Though rare, if one thing can truly put a franchise back on its feet, it’s finding a franchise quarterback in the Draft. Simpson could very well be that for the Jets. New York is not fully sold on that promise, though—or at least, it isn’t saying it out loud for the rest of the league to take notice, which would be smart on the Jets’ part.
“My feeling is, you always want to build your roster with good players. Whatever position that is. Obviously, the quarterback is the top position in your team. If we feel like he’s the best player on the board, that’s who we draft. We’re not trying to reach and grab for guys,” Glenn answered a question on whether the Jets will draft a QB, namely Simpson, in 2026 or wait for the quarterback-stacked class of 2027, per SNY.
Draft Simpson or roll with Geno Smith?
Geno Smith is set to be the starting quarterback for the Jets in 2026. Glenn has even gone as far as to say he can be the signal-caller who takes New York to “the promised land.” Fans in East Rutherford have a hard time buying into that statement, especially after watching Smith spiral out of control with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Still, they can understand where Glenn’s message is coming from, and why he has no other choice but to say it.
Regardless, the expectation around “The City” is that the Jets will be a bottom-feeder in the NFL next season and end up with a top pick that could put them in prime position to select their next great quarterback. As things stand, the majority of the fan base in the Big Apple is looking ahead to next year’s draft, when the likes of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, and other high-end quarterback prospects will enter the league.
Glenn has to make an impact fast in New York
As much as Glenn may be excited about that class, he can’t make any such public admission. Glenn must first worry about keeping his head coaching job for another year in an organization that never hesitates to send its head coaches packing. Glenn may never have another shot in the NFL as a head coach, so he must make the most of it. That means taking risks and hoping for the best.
Put into practice, it could very well mean drafting Simpson in the upcoming draft. Glenn and the Jets could take a safer route, but at the end of the day, it’s quarterbacks who change the narrative. If New York drafts a top pass rusher, cornerback, or another position, it will be forgotten quickly. If the Jets find their franchise quarterback, though, those are the kind of draft-day decisions that make NFL history.
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