Oregon quarterback Dante Moore left the New York Jets at the altar.
He won’t be entering the 2026 NFL draft, and that seemingly leaves the Jets empty-handed in their desperate search for the next QB1.
However, some folks believe the Jets dodged a bullet with this decision.
“This is good!!!! Jets dodged a MASSIVE bullet. If you’re upset about Dante Moore deciding to stay at Oregon, you clearly didn’t watch him this year & also haven’t learned from any of the mistakes this franchise has made over the last 15 years. Moore just isn’t ready for the NFL,” Jets podcast host Jesse Finver posted on social media.
Looking Ahead to Greener Pastures for the Jets
“This means the Jets are going to get a blue chip prospect and the same or a better QB next year. They’re fine if you’re looking at them beyond next year,” NFL analyst Theo Ash posted on social media.
“The glass half-full view of this news: The Jets are loaded with draft capital (three first-round picks) in what should be an impressive group of quarterback prospects in 2027. Texas’s Arch Manning is at the top of the list. This allows the Jets to address other holes on the roster (there are many) before, in theory, adding the quarterback they want next year,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic wrote.
“Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. should be viewed as the early favorites for the No. 2 pick. Ultimately, the 2026 season is about whether the Jets can show themselves to be a competent operation and a competitive team, even if playoffs aren’t quite within reach,” Rosenblatt added.
It Might Be Best for Business…
We all hate eating vegetables. They aren’t tasty, and our parents forced us to eat them when we were younger. Ultimately, we didn’t like it, but they were good for us.
Moore entering the draft would have provided fans with hope. The Jets don’t have a short-term or long-term QB. Moore is an unwrapped gift at Christmas. It could be anything, even a franchise quarterback.
The uncomfortable truth of the matter is that he wasn’t ready to start immediately. When you draft a quarterback, their rookie clock immediately starts. The Jets aren’t a quarterback away after finishing last season with a 3-14 record.
Draft Expert Bluntly Explains Jets Roster Holes
There is a silver lining to this Moore announcement. With him not in the draft, there isn’t a quarterback worthy of being taken 2nd overall.
That means the Jets will be forced to address the other roster holes. It goes back to our food analogy earlier: kids prefer eating candy instead of vegetables. There is an immediate dopamine rush from sugar, and it tastes great.
It would be tempting to select a quarterback and hope he can solve all of your problems. However the more prudent thing is building out the roster and then next year taking your quarterback to insert into a much better situation.
ESPN senior NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr listed six areas of need for the Jets off the top of his head on the “First Draft” podcast.
That group included quarterback, wide receiver, running back, defensive end, defensive tackle, and cornerback.
You could make a strong argument that the Jets also need safety and off-ball-linebacker help beyond that.
“Fascinating. We have just identified, outside of offensive tackle, all of the most important positions on a football team,” ESPN’s Mike Greenberg responded to Kiper with a laugh on the podcast.
Now NYJ doesn’t have to force a QB pick & can instead build up the rest of the roster. 🤷🏽
🎥 First Draft
That is a lot of needs. The good news for the Jets is they have four picks inside the top-44 and $100 million in projected cap space.
If you don’t have to force a QB pick, that leaves plenty of opportunity to improve the rest of the roster.
Jets Dodge Bullet With Dante Moore Decision, Silver Lining Revealed