Russell Wilson is hoping to continue playing during the 2026 NFL season. Could he find that opportunity with the New York Jets?
Wilson is "being considered" for a backup role with the Jets, ESPN's Rich Cimini reports. The Jets hosted the 37-year-old quarterback on a visit to their facility on April 27, but "no contract is imminent" between the two parties.
Wilson is a 14-year NFL veteran who spent the 2025 season with the New York Giants. He opened the season as the Giants' starting quarterback but was benched in favor of Jaxson Dart after posting an 0-3 record, finishing the season completing 58% of his passes for 831 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Wilson has largely operated as a starter across his time with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Giants. The only time he failed to start a Week 1 game for his team was in 2024, when he missed the first six weeks of the Steelers' season while dealing with a calf injury.
However, Wilson is being evaluated for the backup role with the Jets, who have committed to 35-year-old Geno Smith as their starter for 2026. Cimini reports that Smith "advocated for Wilson when team officials solicited his input on potential backups," as the duo have a strong relationship from their two seasons together with the Seahawks in 2020 and 2021.
Here's more to know about the Jets' quarterback situation as they evaluate Wilson for a potential role with the team.
OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)
CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)
RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)
WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)
1 / 42026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, tradesOT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)
OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)
CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)
RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)
WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)
The Jets currently have four quarterbacks on their 90-man roster. Below is a look at the projected pecking order within the unit:
Smith is the only member of the group with extensive starting experience. He has posted a 42-56 record across 98 NFL starts while the remainder of the group has combined to start 13 games.
The Jets selected Klubnik in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Clemson product – who has good arm talent and mobility – will be the team's top developmental quarterback and potential successor for Smith, but New York may not want the rookie to be its top backup during his first NFL season.
Meanwhile, Cook and Zappe are more bottom-roster or practice squad candidates. Cook, a 2025 undrafted free agent, struggled across four winless starts with the Jets last season, completing just 57.5% of his passes for 739 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Zappe's numbers are marginally better than Cook. The 2022 fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky has a 4-5 career record and has completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,223 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.