Cutting corners never works in the NFL. Teams that do not try to build their roster the right way always end up making the wrong move, sinking themselves further into the abyss of mediocrity.

No position has been the biggest culprit of that than the quarterback position either.

The Jets know this well. They have tried cutting corners throughout their 15-year playoff drought. Whether it was getting into a contract dispute with Ryan Fitzpatrick the following offseason after winning 10 games in 2016, or bringing in Aaron Rodgers in 2023 despite not being a quarterback away, New York has been bitten by the aura of veteran quarterbacks before.

Since joining the team in January of 2025, general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn have focused their efforts heavily on not cutting corners in their roster building. The team has focused its efforts on building through the NFL Draft and has only made short-term free-agent signings that haven't put the team in a difficult cap situation.

But the allure of 2027 is strong. New York owns three first-round picks, sure, but the team is also expected to see a plethora of quality veteran signal-callers available as well. Past regimes would sink themselves by bringing in one of these proven veterans.

Luckily for the Jets, though, arguably the top free-agent signal-caller—Baker Mayfield—had other ideas after signing a three-year, $165 million extension with the Buccaneers on Wednesday (h/t NFL).

Interestingly enough, that deal is the best thing for the Jets' future at quarterback.

Mayfield extension gives Jets' hope

At one point in August, it seemed like Mayfield and the Buccaneers were at an impasse. Mayfield wanted to be paid as one of the best quarterbacks in football, while Tampa Bay was worried about his long-term health, with the former first-overall pick now 31 years old.

Some Jets fans suggested that Mayfield could be the kind of veteran leadership needed to fix things for the team in free agency.

That all ended this week when the Bucs and their starting quarterback agreed to the aforementioned $165 million extension. Now, the Jets won't need to consider a quality but capped veteran quarterback like Mayfield.

Instead, Gang Green can refocus their efforts on the only thing that matters: next year's NFL Draft.

New York is armed with three first-round picks in 2027. Not only could the Jets potentially find their franchise quarterback, but they could also theoretically add several top talents at other positions of need as well.

Instead of being lured by a veteran quarterback, the Jets can shift their focus back to the draft. That is what makes the Mayfield extension so important for them. Not because it keeps a quality arm away from the team, but because it forces them to continue the rebuild the right way.

The way they should have been doing from the beginning.

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