Recent reports confirm that Mike Tomlin has joined NBC as a football analyst for Football Night in America. The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach chose to step away from the sidelines while remaining connected to the sport through the media.

A similar transition could be in store for Russell Wilson. Although the Jets are interested in keeping him in New York following his exit from the Giants, a television offer may be more attractive for the Super Bowl XLVIII champion.

Report: Russell Wilson could stay in New York, but for CBS

According to rumors, Russell Wilson prefers to stay in New York, with the Jets really interested in him as QB2. However, it may no longer be as a player, but as a top NFL analyst for CBS.

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports that Wilson is in “deep discussions” regarding a broadcasting role. CBS’s studio is located in Manhattan, making it a perfect logistical fit.

The opening at CBS follows Matt Ryan’s departure from The NFL Today to join the Atlanta Falcons as President of Football Operations. This has created a high-profile vacancy that Wilson is a strong candidate to fill.

Is the Jets’ door closed for Russell Wilson?

Not necessarily. Wilson remains a primary candidate to back up Geno Smith for the Jets. However, the prospect of sitting behind the man who was once his own backup in Seattle may not appeal to “DangeRuss.”

Wilson is no longer viewed as a reliable starter, and his options for such a role are minimal. After a difficult year with the Giants, stepping aside to preserve his legacy as an analyst may be his best move.

According to journalist Ari Meirov on X, the quarterback was at the Jets’ facilities, which opens the door to a potential move to Aaron Glenn’s team. Wilson became a free agent following his last season with the G-Men.

It’s also worth noting that the veteran once shared a locker room with Geno Smith on the Seattle Seahawks. Could they be reunited again, this time in the AFC East?

A frustrated spell in New York

Russell Wilson’s tenure with the New York Giants in 2025 was a disappointing chapter for the veteran, as he was quickly sidelined in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart. After signing a one-year deal, Wilson appeared in only 6 games, finishing the season with 831 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

His campaign started as the starter but spiraled after a rough Week 1 and a Week 3 demotion, despite a “throwback” Week 2 performance against the Cowboys where he threw for 450 yards while playing through a hamstring injury. With a mediocre 77.4 passer rating and a completion percentage of just 58.0%, Wilson ultimately plummeted to the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, leaving him as an unsigned free agent heading into the 2026 season.

Wilson’s Super Bowl pedigree

In Super Bowl XLVIII, Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to a dominant 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos. Delivering a remarkably efficient performance, Wilson completed 18 of 25 passes (72%) for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns with zero interceptions, earning a stellar 123.1 passer rating. This victory made him one of the youngest quarterbacks to ever win a ring and secured the first championship in Seahawks franchise history.

Do the Jets need another quarterback?

Entering his second year as the New York Jets head coach in 2026, Aaron Glenn has completely overhauled his quarterback room to provide offensive coordinator Frank Reich with both veteran stability and future potential. After a rough 3-14 debut season, Glenn and GM Darren Mougey made a bold move to bring back a familiar face, deciding to trust Geno Smith as their QB1 following his arrival from the Raiders in free agency.

To secure the long-term future, the Jets also traded up in the 2026 Draft to select Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, an athletic “winner” who Glenn intends to develop behind Smith. This duo, supplemented by veteran depth, represents a significant shift for a franchise desperate to exit the AFC East cellar and finally capitalize on their recent influx of first-round talent.

“We brought in Geno to be our starter. I’m not going to put a cap on him on how many years he can play,” the head coach said during the press conference. “…But obviously in this league, you gotta have a system where are backups and guys that are pushing the starter, you always wanna create this type of competition.“

He also added: “Listen, I’m not gonna say when Cade is going to play. The thing is those guys are going out there and compete. So, right now I like the room.”

Smith and Klubnik are the main faces of a quarterback room that also includes Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Who will ultimately take the reins of this team throughout the season?

Geno Smith’s experience or Cade Klubnik’s youth

The choice between Geno Smith and Cade Klubnik represents a classic veteran-versus-prospect dilemma for the New York Jets. Coming off a season with the Raiders where he recorded 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, Smith offers the steady hand and seasoned leadership needed to navigate Frank Reich’s offensive system immediately.

In contrast, Cade Klubnik arrives as a high-upside project following a 2025 campaign at Clemson where he threw for 2,943 yards with 16 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, showcasing a dual-threat capability that Smith currently lacks.

For the Jets, a hybrid approach serves them best. While Smith provides the veteran experience necessary to keep the team competitive in the short term, Klubnik represents the long-term future at a low cost. Utilizing Smith as the starter allows Klubnik the essential time to refine his decision-making and adjust to the speed of the NFL without being thrown into the fire prematurely.

What will happen with Breece Hall?

After the draft, most teams will now focus on retaining key stars. While the New York Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, they have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract, something Darren Mougey aims to resolve soon.

“I have a list of things to get to next week, that being one of them. … I anticipate kind of turning my attention to Breece and that contract situation,” the general manager revealed to the press.

Hall has recorded three consecutive seasons surpassing 1,000 total yards, establishing himself as the centerpiece of the offense. Because of this, he is projected to earn $14.3 million (fully guaranteed) for the 2026 season. This figure would automatically place him among the five highest-paid running backs in the league.

“I was really hoping for this. I kind of woke up this morning thinking, ‘I hope the Jets kind of pick me.’ I had a feeling that they were going to pick me, at least,” the quarterback revealed to the press.

Now the debate centers on who will be in charge of leading Aaron Glenn’s team. Will it be the experienced Geno Smith, or will they ultimately bet on Klubnik’s talent?

What can Klubnik bring to the Jets?

In his final 2025 season at Clemson, Cade Klubnik served as a permanent team captain and showed significant efficiency, completing 65.6% of his passes for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. While the Tigers’ season had its ups and downs, Klubnik’s poise was evident in his ability to engineer fourth-quarter comebacks and maintain a high PFF passing grade of 80.3.

Selected by the Jets in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2026 Draft, Klubnik is expected to provide valuable depth as a developmental backup. His extensive college experience—40 starts and over 10,000 career passing yards—gives the Jets a “pro-ready” intellectual presence in the quarterback room.

While he may not start immediately, his anticipation and ability to handle high-tempo schemes make him an ideal insurance policy and a potential future starter if he refines his consistency under pressure.

The New York Jets’ QB room

The New York Jets’ quarterback room for the 2026 NFL season is headlined by a “full circle” return for Geno Smith, who was acquired via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. To facilitate the move, Smith renegotiated his contract; while he is set to make $19.5 million this year, the Raiders are covering $16.2 million of that total, leaving the Jets responsible for only about $3.3 million.

Under head coach Aaron Glenn, the depth chart behind Smith features a mix of youth and veteran backup experience. While Cade Klubnik provides a developmental presence, Glenn will also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe available to compete for reps. This versatile group gives the Jets several options as they look to stabilize the position and improve upon their recent offensive struggles.

Prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets had scheduled a pre-draft visit with Bailey. Ultimately, the club canceled it—a move the Texas Tech edge rusher downplayed at the time, trying to convince himself everything was still on track.

Fortunately for him, the canceled meeting was a positive sign. It appears the Jets had seen enough from the former Red Raider; however, even Bailey could hardly believe it when New York called his name.

“Initially, I probably thought they’re not going to pick me,” David Bailey said. “But I was thinking back to the interactions prior to the meeting getting canceled and I was thinking back to the interaction I had with them at the Combine and at the steakhouse and the FaceTimes with Mougey. I had a good relationship with them. I felt good talking to them. I feel like they had a good attitude towards me and vice versa.”

The New York Jets’ long-term strategy

The Jets have struggled to remain competitive recently. Last season, the club finished with a disappointing 3–14 record, which secured them a top selection in this year’s draft.

Following the blockbuster trades of All-Pros Sauce Gardner (to the Colts) and Quinnen Williams (to the Cowboys) in November 2025, New York’s message was clear: they are rebuilding for the long term. By trading their superstars, they acquired a massive haul of draft capital for 2026 and 2027.

The Jets actually made three first-round picks in 2026: David Bailey (No. 2), elite Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16, and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (No. 30, after trading back into the first).

While veteran Geno Smith is the bridge starter for 2026, the team’s massive stash of future first-rounders suggests they may be positioning themselves to draft Arch Manning in 2027. Then, the Jets might look very different and maybe as dark horses.

The Jets drafted EDGE David Bailey at No.2, tight end Kenyon Sadiq at 16th, and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at 30th. They were the most active team in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Speaking via the team’s website, Aaron Glenn said, “When you have targets, you identify guys you like, you love — you go get them… And any time you can bring guys with a winning background on your team, that only helps the morale of your team.”

Is Aaron Glenn on the hot seat?

One could argue that Glenn wasn’t given a good hand in his first year as head coach of the Jets. Still, he was not good. His side of the ball didn’t look good and actually regressed, and the offense looked dreadful all season long. In fact, the Jets had no interceptions all season.

That will put any coach on the hot seat, especially if it’s a defensive-minded coach, like Glenn is. The Jets also changed offensive coordinator and brought in Frank Reich. Hence, if this doesn’t work, Glenn might not be there next season.

What’s the winning pedigree Glenn is talking about?

All three players selected by the Jets played in teams that went to the College Football Playoffs. Bailey led the nation in Division 1 sacks with Texas Tech. Kenyon Sadiq was a huge weapon in Dan Lanning’s Oregon, which is an elite program. Last but not least, Omar Cooper Jr. was WR1 for Indiana and won the National Championship.

In 2026, the Jets had the second, 16th, and traded up to get the 30th pick in the NFL Draft. They used the second overall pick to get pass-rusher David Bailey, but then turned to offense to get tight end Kenyon Sadiq (16th) and the 30th to get wideout Omar Cooper Jr.

As for the next season, the Jets have their own pick, alongside one acquired by trading away Sauce Gardner, and another acquired by the Quinnen Williams trade. Hence, the future could be bright in Jersey.

NY Jets 2026 NFL Draft grade

David Bailey is arguably the best pass-rusher in this NFL Draft. That was a glaring need for the Jets. It’s a good pick for them. However, that can’t be said for the name picked at 16th. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq is a good talent, but tight end was not a hole needed to be filled, they drafted Mason Taylor last year.

As for the 30th pick, they used it on a team necessity. Omar Cooper Jr. had the Jets in love so they seized the opportunity to get him. This is a good pick, at a good price. Overall, it’s a B-to-B+ kind of draft for the Jets.

The Jets are still in the middle of a transition

The team is making plenty of moves, but these are transition moves, not rebuilding moves. This NFL Draft serves to plant the bases for the future of the franchise. There is a real possibility that the front office see this coaching staff and quarterback Geno Smith as mere transitional pieces.

Hence, it’s the establishing the pieces for the future, and next year, use those three first-round picks to get leaders and playmakers. The Jets have plenty of stuff to work through.

According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, if EDGE David Bailey falls all the way to No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Giants will look to trade down, and the Cowboys (in need of a star edge pass rusher) could be the team most willing to foot the bill on Joe Schoen and company’s demands.

There will be other teams looking to move up for David Bailey, whose profile speaks for itself, such as the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints, but none as desperate as Jones‘ organization might be. Still, the odds of the Giants handing a talent like Bailey to the Cowboys on a silver platter seem to be low—though not non-existent.

NY Giants are up for crucial NFL Draft

The Giants, along with the Cowboys and Jets, are among the teams with multiple first-round picks in 2026. That means they’ve been dealt a strong hand in the upcoming NFL Draft. However, it’s up to them to play their cards right. If they do, they may walk out of Day 1 as the biggest winners.

But if they mishandle things, they could watch their house of cards come crashing down, as the organization continues to go up in flames instead of rising like a phoenix.

Could Bailey fall to No. 5?

Unfortunately for the Giants, it’s unlikely Bailey even makes it to the fifth overall pick. For that to occur, the Jets would have to pass on him with the No. 2 selection, followed by the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, No. 3 and No. 4 respectively. Although Bailey downplayed his cancelled pre-draft visit with the Jets, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Something might be off.

Crazier things have happened in the NFL Draft. Unexpected drops are rare, but not unprecedented. All options remain on the table. After the Giants got an update on Jeremiyah Love plans by the Cardinals and Titans, they must keep an eye on Bailey, as well.

Would Giants be willing to trade places with Cowboys?

The Giants have no pressing need for another star pass rusher off the edge. At least, spending a hard-earned top-five first-round selection on one isn’t a sound business decision for the G-Men. However, not many teams are in such a comfortable position when it comes to EDGE players, so New York must stay alert for any team looking to move up.

If the Cowboys are the only option, then the Giants will face a dilemma. Some might say business is business; others may argue divisional rivals must never be helped.

Both stances hold some truth, and thus the front office in East Rutherford may find itself between a rock and a hard place. How the Giants navigate such a scenario could very well decide the future of the organization heading into the 2026 NFL season.

Those six teams are the New York Jets, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins. All of those teams have a pick inside the top 12, which gives them even more of a premium, though the time to select will be the same for every team in the 2026 NFL Draft.

By having multiple teams with first-rounders, it logically means that there are teams that don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Having said that, this doesn’t mean the Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Dolphins are set for success. Drafting is an art —or a lottery. There is no certainty that the picks will actually live up to the hype.

Why are these teams having multiple first-rounders?

The Jets have their second first-rounder thanks to trading Sauce Gardner to the Colts. The Browns hold extra picks following a trade with the Jaguars last year, where the Jaguars picked Travis Hunter. As for the Chiefs, their 29th pick comes from the Los Angeles Rams, thanks to the Trent McDuffie trade.

The Dallas Cowboys have an extra first-rounder courtesy of the Packers for the Micah Parsons deal. In the Dolphins’ case, their extra pick comes from Denver due to the Jaylen Waddle trade. The Giants recently traded Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals for the 10th pick, hence their draft capital.

Is this a good NFL Draft class?

This may not be a stacked class. In fact, analysts like Josh Edwards of CBS Sports have stated that this draft “may not have more than 12 players worthy of a first-round grade.” Hence, while still having valuable picks, the talent selected with them is not expected to create a big enough impact, though we’ll have to wait and see.

Besides, this is still valuable draft capital that can otherwise be used in trades. After all, teams can get desperate, overvalue, or just find appropriate picks that a team before them doesn’t need. It’s going to be a very fun draft to watch.

Earlier this week, Jets general manager Darren Mougey confirmed that Bailey’s pre-draft visit would not take place. He advised that no one should read too much into the decision, noting that there are several reasons why teams might cancel these meetings.

It didn’t take long for Bailey to echo Mougey’s sentiments. The Texas Tech edge rusher stated that, while he was unable to attend the visit, his previous interactions with the club have been very solid, effectively downplaying the cancellation.

“They canceled my 30 visit, so I wasn’t able to get around the facility and kinda have an in-depth conversation with all the staff and everything, but I had a great interaction with them at the Combine and obviously whatever FaceTime calls we’ve been having,” David Bailey said, via SNY.

Can David Bailey join the NY Jets?

Many believe the NY Jets’ first-round plans may have been revealed with Arvell Reese becoming the odds-on favorite. Nevertheless, Bailey remains firmly in the conversation to go No. 2 overall.

Canceling a pre-draft visit is not always a negative. Teams often cancel meetings with top prospects if they feel they already have enough “touchpoints” and want to use their limited 30 slots on other players.

The Jets definitely need to bolster their defense, making Reese and Bailey the top pass-rushing options. Now, it appears to be a direct competition to see who will be selected by New York at No. 2.

Is a trade-up possible for the Jets?

The Jets currently hold the No. 2 overall pick and are not expected to trade up for the No. 1 selection. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold that spot and are unlikely to let Fernando Mendoza slip through their fingers.

While the Jets also have a clear need at quarterback, moving up to No. 1 would be incredibly costly. For that reason, they are expected to stay at No. 2 and use the pick to improve their defense.

According to Nick Underhill of New Orleans Football Network, Jordyn Tyson will probably get top 10 looks. This would put Tyson as second or third-best wideout in the 2026 NFL Draft behind Carnell Tate.

Makai Lemon was poised to be the second WR taken and now Tyson could hijack that notion. Tyson was in the New York Jets‘ radar, but with his stock rising, the Jets might not get the chance to even be in play at drafting him.

Tyson’s workout impressed a lot

According to John McMullen of Sports Illustrated, the Eagles could be a highly interested team. With rumors of AJ Brown getting traded to the Patriots post June 1st, they could use a high-upside wide receiver like Tyson.

However, according to these reports, the Eagles would have to trade up quite a bit to get Tyson. Philadelphia has the 23rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and Tyson might not get there according to Underhill’s report.

If healthy, Tyson could become a certified WR1

The biggest issue in Tyson’s scouting profile is his injury history. Tyson has a history of missing time due to hamstring, collarbone and knee injuries. However, if he manages to stay healthy, the team that drafts him will get a massive weapon.

He is very talented and could actually become one of the best receivers in the game. The upside is massive with Tyson. However, picking him is the definition of a ‘high-risk, high-reward‘ move.