The Jets are back at a familiar crossroads, and once again it starts with a quarterback workaround rather than a solution. Fresh off a 3–14 collapse, New York is eyeing a reunion between offensive coordinator Frank Reich and veteran Jacoby Brissett, a pairing that signals stability over swing-for-the-fences ambition. It’s a move rooted in experience, cap math, and institutional fatigue. Whether it represents a smart reset or another short-term patch is the question shaping everything that follows.
The Reunion Nobody Expected
Nov 9, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich watches his team play against the Chicago Bears in the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Frank Reich’s return to the NFL didn’t come quietly. After a season at Stanford, he’s now the Jets’ offensive coordinator under Aaron Glenn, tasked with fixing a unit that collapsed to 3–14 and finished dead last in passing. The familiar name resurfacing alongside him is Jacoby Brissett, his former Colts quarterback. Their last real overlap came in 2019, roughly six years ago. Brissett’s appeal is financial and functional: a $4.88 million base salary in 2026, with an estimated Jets cap hit closer to $5.4 million if traded. It’s a pairing that signals caution over boldness, but one that could at least keep the Jets from spiraling further.
The Jets’ QB Graveyard
Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to make a pass during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The Jets didn’t just miss at quarterback, they paid for it. Roughly $57 million in dead money is tied up between Aaron Rodgers ($35M) and Justin Fields ($22M), just to reset the position again. That kind of financial wreckage matters when you’re rebuilding an offense from scratch. On the field, the results were even worse. New York finished 32nd in passing yards per game in 2025 at 170.3, dead last in the league. Whatever the exact coordinator count, constant play-caller turnover has produced the same result every time: instability under center and an offense stuck spinning its wheels.
Justin Fields Is Done
Nov 23, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) looks on before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
The Jets tried the reclamation project and pulled the plug quickly. Justin Fields was benched in Week 7, briefly resurfaced, then was permanently shelved before Week 12 in favor of Tyrod Taylor. That usually tells the whole story. Fields arrived on a two-year, $40 million deal and started nine games, but the results never stabilized. He finished 2–7 as a starter with repeated accuracy issues and seven turnover-worthy plays. Whatever upside once existed never translated. For New York, the experiment ended the only way these things usually do, quietly and ahead of schedule.
Reich’s System Needs a Game Manager
Nov 5, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Frank Reich’s offenses have always favored control over chaos. Even in Indianapolis, that meant leaning on quarterbacks who protected the football and stayed on schedule. In 2019, with Reich as head coach and Nick Sirianni calling plays, Jacoby Brissett threw 18 touchdowns against just six interceptions. That context matters. The efficiency was real, but the ceiling wasn’t. Brissett completed just over 60 percent of his passes and faded badly down the stretch. What Reich needs now isn’t upside. It’s a stabilizer who won’t sabotage the install.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) rolls out against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
On paper, Brissett’s 2025 season looks like a breakout. He completed 64.9 percent of his passes, threw for 3,366 yards, and posted career highs with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Every major passing category ticked up. The problem is the context underneath. Arizona went 3–14, and Brissett finished 1–11 as a starter. Those numbers came largely while trailing, not controlling games. Production existed, but leverage didn’t. The stats show competence, not elevation, which matters when projecting fit versus impact.
Arizona’s Side of the Trade
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) evades Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Cedric Johnson (52) in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. The Bengals won 37-14.
From Arizona’s perspective, moving Brissett would be clean business. He’s a 33-year-old veteran on an expiring deal, and his value peaks as a short-term bridge, not a long-term piece. Any return would likely be late-round draft capital, modest but useful. The financial hit would be manageable depending on trade structure, with only remaining bonus proration accelerating. More importantly, the Cardinals are clearly evaluating their quarterback direction moving forward. In that context, keeping a veteran placeholder carries little upside compared to flexibility and optionality.
The 2026 Draft Calculus
New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III (3) runs the ball as New England Patriots safety John Saunders Jr. (23) defends during a game at MetLife Stadium, Dec 28, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA.
This move only makes sense when viewed alongside the Jets’ broader asset position. They hold the No. 2 overall pick and an additional first-rounder, along with significant cap flexibility projected well north of $80 million depending on accounting. That gives them options. Draft a quarterback and let him sit. Load the roster and reassess later. Brissett fits that window as a short-term floor, not a future bet. The danger comes if the bridge becomes the plan. That’s where resets quietly turn into delays.
AFC East Reality Check
Feb 5, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Yasir Durant (72) talks to media members at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Even with stabilization under center, the division isn’t forgiving. New England just ran away with the AFC East, Buffalo remains structurally sound, and Miami, while inconsistent, still has speed mismatches everywhere. A Brissett-led offense doesn’t scare any of them. At best, it narrows the gap from unwatchable to competitive. That’s progress, but not contention. The Jets can improve without actually climbing the standings. In this division, competence buys respect, not wins, and respect alone doesn’t change January outcomes.
The Sustainability Question
Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) looks to throw downfield against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Brissett will be 33 during the 2026 season, and nothing about this profile suggests longevity. This is a one-year bridge, maybe two if everything breaks right. That puts pressure on the next move, not this one. If the rookie isn’t ready by 2027, the franchise resets again. New system. New quarterback. Same calendar. Bridges only work if there’s land on the other side. Otherwise, they just delay the fall and make the next rebuild harder to sell.
Calculated Reset or Same Old Cycle?
Dec 14, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) calls an audible against the Houston Texans in the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
That’s the question hovering over this entire idea. Brissett isn’t the gamble. He’s the insurance policy while the Jets figure out what the real swing will be. The danger is mistaking familiarity for progress. This franchise has cycled through coordinators, quarterbacks, and systems for years, each move sold as stability. If this pairing is a floor-setter while a real plan develops, it works. If it becomes the plan itself, Jets fans already know how the ending plays out.
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Sources:
Jets Hire Frank Reich as Offensive Coordinator. New York Jets Official Site, February 4, 2026
Jets Hire Frank Reich as Offensive Coordinator. ESPN, February 4, 2026
Jets Reach 2-Year, $40M Deal with QB Justin Fields, Sources Say. ESPN, March 10, 2025
Jets Bench QB Justin Fields After Ineffective First Half in Sunday’s Loss. NFL.com, October 19, 2025
Justin Fields Benched: Jets Turning to Tyrod Taylor. CBS Sports, November 16, 2025
Jacoby Brissett Salary, Contract Details, Cap Hit with Arizona Cardinals. Yahoo Sports / Over the Cap, March 20, 2025
Jacoby Brissett 2025 Stats per Game. ESPN, 2025 season
