Every year, I “bandwagon” the team that had my favorite offseason for one reason or another, usually a rebuilding team, and follow them extra closely. In 2024, it was the Sam Darnold-led Vikings. In 2025, it was the New York Giants. This year (and maybe next), my attention shifts to the cross-town New York Jets.
The Jets had my favorite draft from top to bottom, have made several other intelligent moves, and seem to have a clear direction. More than anyone, they understand that dropping a highly drafted quarterback into a bad situation is not a recipe for success. They’ve passed on opportunities to force the issue at quarterback and instead focused on building the infrastructure around the position. The result is a roster that should be an attractive landing spot for their eventual franchise quarterback. For now, the team remains incomplete without that player, but there are still plenty of reasons for Jets fans to be excited in 2026.
While I started on an optimistic note, the conversation quickly turns more negative when discussing the coaching staff, particularly Aaron Glenn. The Jets are the lowest-ranked team in my rankings to retain their head coach from last season. Glenn wasn’t one of my favorite hires in 2025, and he isn’t one of my favorite coaches entering 2026. He’s a defensive head coach, which is inherently more difficult to sustain long-term than an offensive head coach. When a defensive coach pairs with a successful offensive coordinator, that coordinator often leaves for a head coaching job elsewhere, forcing the team to start over offensively. To make that tradeoff worthwhile, a defensive head coach needs to be an elite defensive mind. I never thought Glenn fit that description in Detroit, and I certainly don’t think he earned it last season in New York, where his defense failed to record a single interception.
Despite coming from Dan Campbell’s staff in Detroit, Glenn also doesn’t seem to possess many of the CEO, leader-of-men qualities you ideally want from a head coach. That’s not to say players don’t like or respect him, I have no way of knowing what goes on inside the locker room, but from the outside, he doesn’t appear to be an elite culture-builder. The Jets defense wasn’t exactly loaded with talent last season, especially after the trades of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, but it’s impossible to look at the results and conclude Glenn did a good job. One argument in his defense was that he never really had the chance to build the unit to fit his scheme. After a full offseason of roster changes, that excuse is no longer on the table.
Despite all of that criticism, I don’t actually disagree with the decision to bring him back. Ideally, if you’re bringing in a new head coach and a new quarterback, you do it at the same time and allow them to grow together. It’s much easier than forcing a franchise quarterback into a system not built for him or asking a coach to completely alter his scheme for a quarterback he didn’t choose.
In a transition year, why not give Glenn another opportunity? If he proves himself, great! You may only need to find the quarterback. If he fails, no real harm is done. You get a better draft pick, move on, and pair a new offensive-minded head coach with your quarterback of the future. The Jets, with a quarterback or at least a concrete quarterback plan in place for 2027, would also likely be a more attractive destination for potential head coaches than they would’ve been this offseason. While I still don’t believe in Aaron Glenn as a head coach, I do believe in the process of keeping him around, even if it’s for somewhat unconventional reasons.
While Glenn survived last year’s defensive struggles, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks did not, and interim coordinator Chris Harris was also not retained. Instead, Brian Duker arrives after spending the last two seasons as Miami’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator. Glenn’s defenses have traditionally been multiple fronts built around press-man coverage and stout run defense, while Duker comes from a more aggressive 3-4 system that emphasizes creating pressure in the passing game. I expect to see more blitzes and more creative blitzes in 2026, as well as a greater commitment to 3-4 looks. As we’ll discuss in the roster section, that actually plays into the strengths of this personnel group quite well. Glenn will likely continue calling the shots defensively, but incorporating some of Duker’s ideas could lead to a more successful unit.
My least favorite move of the offseason was hiring Frank Reich as offensive coordinator, especially under a defensive head coach. His recent track record is difficult to ignore. His one season in Carolina was a disaster, and the final years of his tenure in Indianapolis were largely disappointing. Last season, he served as Stanford’s interim head coach for a team that finished just 4-8.
Reich runs a modern pro-spread offense that leans more heavily on inside zone than wide zone concepts and relies on a traditional drop-back passing game rather than the play-action-heavy Shanahan tree. His system asks a lot from both the quarterback and the offensive line. One concern worth monitoring is the performance of offensive lines under Reich. Units in both Indianapolis and Carolina appeared to underperform relative to their talent level during his tenure and improved shortly after his departure. Whether that was a scheme issue, a coaching issue, something with his practice regiment, or something else entirely, it’s a trend that can’t be ignored. The Jets have invested heavily in young offensive talent, and the last thing they need is stalled development up front.
As for the positives, Reich is no longer the head coach. While he’ll effectively be the offensive leader of the team, narrowing his focus to coordinator duties could allow him to rediscover the qualities that made him a head coaching candidate in the first place. His run schemes have also produced success in the past, and I think they fit this personnel group particularly well.
The Jets retained special teams coordinator Chris Banjo, who arrived from Denver last season and built one of the brighter units on an otherwise underwhelming team. With much of that core returning, another strong year from the special teams group should be expected.
While I don’t agree with all of his coaching hires, general manager Darren Mougey has done a remarkable job over the last two seasons rebuilding this roster with a clear purpose and long-term vision. Most importantly, he hasn’t felt pressured to force a quarterback selection before the rest of the infrastructure was ready. It would be a shame if he were fired before getting the chance to see the process through after being one of the few GMs to commit to a multi-year rebuilding plan as opposed to a short-sighted one.
As a whole, if it isn’t clear by now, I’m not sold on this coaching staff. Truthfully, though, that may not matter all that much right now. You could argue this season would have been a good opportunity to take chances on younger, unproven coaches and see if you found a long-term answer. But if this group doesn’t get the job done, it’s easy enough to move on and try again. What matters most is finding the right coach when the quarterback arrives, because a bad coaching situation can derail a young quarterback’s development before it ever gets started.
Quarterbacks (28th)
While the quarterback discussion for the Jets is very future-minded, there’s a chance their 2027 quarterback is already on the roster. Originally a second-round pick by the Jets back in 2013, Geno Smith returns to New York over a decade after his last game in a Jets uniform. Smith quickly fell out of favor during his first stint with the franchise, but after years as a backup, he revitalized his career in Seattle. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 and put together several productive seasons, establishing himself as at least a top-20 starting quarterback over multiple seasons. After the Seahawks decided to move on in favor of Sam Darnold, Smith landed in Las Vegas. Things didn’t go nearly as well with the Raiders. Smith regressed significantly, leading the league in both interceptions and sacks taken while helping guide the Raiders to the No. 1 overall pick, and ultimately his replacement.
This offseason, the Jets and Raiders executed what looks like a win-win trade. Las Vegas absorbed most, though not all, of Smith’s contract and moved up 20 spots late in the draft, while New York takes on just a $3 million cap hit for their new starting quarterback. Justin Fields, when he played last season, struggled in ways that hurt the development of the rest of the offense and forced the unit to operate differently. Geno Smith, if nothing else, can run an NFL offense and restore some normalcy to the position. That’s the primary appeal of bringing in a veteran like Smith, but the possibility of him rediscovering his Seattle form and becoming a quality starter again is an added bonus. The Jets aren’t counting on it, but if it happens, it could change things quickly in New York.
Smith enters the season as the unquestioned starter, but if he struggles the way he did last year, fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik would likely be next in line. Klubnik’s career at Clemson was defined by inconsistency, featuring both very high highs and frustrating low lows. As a prospect, I compared him to Gardner Minshew: a capable backup with solid but unspectacular traits and a gunslinger mentality. That’s essentially what I see in Klubnik. If you’re looking for a potential long-term starter, I preferred Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar, and Cole Payton. If you’re looking for a true high-floor backup, I preferred Carson Beck. If you’re looking for a freak athlete, I preferred Taylen Green. In the end, the Jets wanted a little bit of everything and landed on Klubnik. As a fourth-round pick, the most likely outcome is that he’s both the current and future backup in New York. Still, there’s enough starter upside in his profile that I wouldn’t mind seeing him get a few games this season, especially late in the year if the Jets are out of contention and have nothing to lose.
With a veteran starter and rookie backup, the Jets will likely carry a third quarterback on the 53-man roster. 2025 undrafted free agent Brady Cook has the inside track after appearing in five games as a rookie. Jets fans are all too familiar with what Brady Cook brings to the table: a clear path toward a top draft pick. Jokes aside, his two-touchdown, seven-interception performance across four starts earned him the unofficial title of Tank Commander as the Jets chased the No. 1 overall pick last season. Cook never profiled as an NFL starter, which is a major reason he went undrafted, and so far he hasn’t shown he’s an NFL-caliber quarterback. His roster spot shouldn’t be considered safe by any means, but if the Jets keep him around, it would likely be more for familiarity and locker-room value than any expectation of meaningful playing time.
The final quarterback on the roster is Bailey Zappe, who can fairly be called a journeyman at this point. A fourth-round pick by New England in 2022 out of Western Kentucky, Zappe saw action while backing up Mac Jones but failed to do enough to stick with the Patriots long-term. Since then, he’s bounced between Kansas City and Cleveland, spending time on practice squads while struggling to carve out a role. He appeared in one game for the Browns, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns while completing barely half of his passes. Zappe signed with the Jets on a reserve/futures contract and will compete for the third quarterback spot. Personally, I’d take the more experienced, and probably better, quarterback in Zappe over Cook, but I’m not exactly going to bat for Bailey Zappe either. If something happens to both Smith and Klubnik, I’d be looking at outside options at quarterback anyway.
Among the league’s lower-tier quarterback rooms, I actually expect the Jets’ group to be one of the steadier ones despite the volatility both Smith and Klubnik have shown throughout their careers. They don’t have Miami’s high-risk, high-reward upside with Malik Willis, nor the breakout potential of the Giants with Jaxson Dart or the Saints with Tyler Shough. The Jets’ quarterback room should be unremarkably below average, and that’s perfectly fine for this season. As long as the quarterback can operate an NFL-caliber offense and get the young talent around him involved, they’ve done their job. Anything beyond that is just icing on the cake.
Running Backs (16th)
The story with the Jets has been building a quarterback-friendly roster, and that starts with giving him a run game. The Jets ranked in the top 10 in both rushing yards and yards per carry last season, which is especially impressive for a team that spent so much time playing from behind. Part of that gameplan can be attributed to the rushing skillset of Justin Fields, but a lot of credit belongs to this running back room and Aaron Glenn’s commitment to the run regardless of game script.
The room is led by 1,000-yard rusher Breece Hall. Hall was viewed as one of the league’s rising stars after an exciting rookie season but never quite put everything together during the Aaron Rodgers era, which leaned away from the run game. In 2025, he was finally given the opportunity to be a true workhorse back and made the most of it. He still falls short of the elite tier at the position, but after last season there’s plenty of optimism that he can remain the starter throughout this rebuild. Hall was one of the surprise survivors of the 2025 trade deadline despite widespread speculation that he wanted out of New York. He was again expected to be moved this offseason or eventually become another franchise tag holdout casualty. Instead, Hall and the Jets surprised everyone by agreeing to a $43.5 million extension. The vibes surrounding Hall were noticeably worse a year ago, but a new contract with meaningful guarantees suggests both sides are fully invested moving forward.
From a schematic standpoint, Hall’s athletic profile fits a wide-zone system better than the downhill, inside-zone concepts Frank Reich prefers. Still, Hall’s vision should allow him to adapt and make the most of the new scheme. He’s a capable three-down back with legitimate receiving ability and value on passing downs. If there’s one area where another back could take snaps from him, it’s short-yardage situations, where a bigger bruising power back may be the better option.
That brings us to Braelon Allen, a bruising power back who excels in short-yardage situations. As Hall’s backup and stylistic complement, Allen should have a very clear role within the offense. The youngest player in the 2024 draft class, Allen exceeded expectations as a fourth-round rookie and flashed intriguing potential despite his youth and inexperience. Entering 2025, some believed Allen could challenge Hall for the lead role. Obviously, that never materialized. Part of that was Hall’s resurgence, but Allen also lost most of the season to injury. Realistically, his skill set was never ideally suited to a three-down workload anyway. He’s much better served as a complementary power back behind a more dynamic starter, which is exactly the role he fills here.
Stylistically, Allen is a near-perfect fit for Reich’s inside-zone scheme. While he may never develop into a featured back, he should be highly productive when given opportunities. He has more explosiveness than people give him credit for, but he’s ultimately more valuable as an ideal RB2 than as a player competing for a full-time starting role and everything being an RB1 entails.
Behind Allen is Isaiah Davis, who was drafted one round later in 2024 and spent his rookie season buried behind both Hall and Allen. He played in every game as a rookie and all but one game in 2025, though mostly in a limited role. With Allen sidelined for much of last season, Davis finally had an opportunity to showcase his abilities. Primarily used as a blocker and checkdown option on passing downs, Davis actually impressed most as a runner in 2025. He averaged an impressive 5.5 yards per carry, backing up the 5.8 yards per carry he posted in a smaller sample as a rookie. There’s a legitimate argument that he could push Allen for the RB2 role this season. Personally, I think Allen remains the better complement to Hall, while Davis functions more as a direct backup if Hall misses time. Regardless of how the depth chart shakes out, both players should see meaningful snaps in 2026.
Beyond the top three sits Kene Nwangwu. Across five seasons split between Minnesota and New York, Nwangwu has totaled just 40 carries for 137 yards. The athleticism is there, but he has never developed into a meaningful offensive contributor. Fortunately for him, offense isn’t his primary role. Nwangwu earns his keep on special teams, where he’s one of the league’s better return specialists and overall contributors. His special teams value alone should secure his roster spot, and with three capable running backs ahead of him, the Jets don’t need him to contribute much offensively.
Rounding out the room are undrafted free agents Chip Trayanum and Sam Scott. Trayanum, out of Toledo, reminded me a lot of Isiah Pacheco as a prospect. He doesn’t possess elite traits, exceptional vision, or much creativity as a runner, but he consistently fought for extra yards and displayed surprising contact balance. His willingness to block only strengthens his case as a player willing to do the dirty work. I ultimately gave him a priority free agent grade, which aligns with how the Jets viewed him, as they awarded him $175,000 guaranteed, the second-highest total among their undrafted class. The path to a roster spot is difficult with three quality backs and a special teams ace ahead of him, but he feels like an excellent practice squad candidate who could fill a role if injuries strike.
As for Sam Scott out of Wyoming, he was on my undrafted free agent radar but wasn’t someone I evaluated before the draft. From what I can tell, he’s a classic athletic upside gamble coming from a lower level of competition. He has an NFL frame and the traits to potentially develop into a quality blocker. I don’t expect him to make the initial roster, but if he sticks around on the practice squad, he’s someone worth monitoring.
One more player worth mentioning is fullback Andrew Beck. Beck joined the Jets in 2025 after coming over from Houston and quickly became one of the team’s most important special teams contributors, leading the roster in special teams snaps. He also played roughly 10% of the offensive snaps as a traditional fullback. Beck’s statistical production was minimal, recording six catches for 45 yards and one carry for five yards, but that’s not why he’s on the roster. His value comes as a blocker, both on offense and special teams, where he fills a role that many teams no longer carry. While his impact won’t show up much in the box score, he’s an important piece of the physical identity the Jets are trying to build.
As an NFL fan who pays close attention to roster construction, I love seeing complementary skill sets, stylistically matched backups, core special teamers, and developmental upside at the bottom of the roster. This Jets running back room checks every box. Hall and Allen fit together perfectly. Davis provides quality depth and can step into Hall’s role if necessary. Nwangwu is the type of core special teamer many teams lack, and both undrafted free agents make sense as developmental additions. Plus, who doesn’t love a fullback. From a roster construction standpoint, it’s hard to build a running back room much better than this.
Unfortunately, the group ranks just 16th in my rankings, even if the room is well constructed. This is primarily due to the absence of a truly elite RB1 and the lack of proven production behind Hall. Still, if the backups continue developing and Hall takes another step forward, this is a unit that could easily find itself pushing toward the top 10 in the not so distant future.
Weapons (22nd)
Wide Receivers (19th)
The Jets quarterbacks combined for just 2,784 passing yards in 2025, and no pass catcher, wide receiver or otherwise, cleared even 400 receiving yards. It was a disastrous season for the passing game, though there were still glimpses of a competent receiving corps beneath the ugly numbers. There are also plenty of contextual reasons why nobody managed to reach the 400-yard mark.
The room is led by Garrett Wilson, who played in just seven games but was on pace for nearly 1,000 yards over a full season. Like Breece Hall, Wilson isn’t quite in the conversation for the very best at his position, but he’s a quality No. 1 option. The difference is that the upside remains for him to keep ascending and eventually enter that elite tier, especially if he ever gets to play with a high-level quarterback. Wilson is an elite route runner with the ability to turn almost any reception into a big play after the catch. His deep-ball production and contested-catch ability have been inconsistent at times, though he possesses the athletic tools to improve in both areas. As things stand, he’s a reliable WR1 with a few remaining holes in his game rather than a complete superstar.
The most likely WR2 in 2026, and potentially well beyond, is first-round rookie Omar Cooper Jr. Cooper is primarily a slot receiver who shares some similarities with Wilson. He’s a very good athlete, though not quite an elite one, and possesses some of the most reliable hands in the class. Cooper was one of the most difficult players for me to evaluate because he doesn’t really excel in any one traditional category. He’s not an elite athlete, route runner, deep threat, or contested-catch specialist. That makes it sound like I was low on him, but the opposite was true. I loved Cooper as a prospect and ranked him No. 18 on my big board. What Cooper does at an elite level is simply make plays. His run-after-catch ability is probably his best individual trait, but more than anything else, he consistently did whatever was required on a national championship team. It’s difficult to point to one defining skill and explain why the tape was so impressive. The easiest explanation is simply, “this is a good football player.” The athleticism always seems to show up when needed, and his ability to create mismatches from the slot is invaluable. I ultimately compared him to Rashee Rice and DJ Moore because I think his easiest NFL projection is as a manufactured-touch weapon. That said, he has experience playing on the outside as well, giving the Jets some flexibility in how they deploy him.
I was screaming for the Jets to take Cooper at No. 16, so getting him at No. 30 made him one of my favorite picks in the entire draft. If there’s one concern, it’s that portions of his skill set overlap with Garrett Wilson’s. I still think the pairing can work. Cooper can handle the quick-game responsibilities and manufactured touches while Wilson is freed up to lean into his route-running ability and hunt bigger plays downfield. In recent years, the Jets have needed Wilson to be open and reliable on every snap. A stronger supporting cast could allow them to take more risks with his route tree and potentially unlock even greater production.
While likely the WR3 in three-receiver sets, Adonai Mitchell could also see significant snaps in two-receiver formations, particularly if the Jets choose to run more 12 personnel. Originally a second-round pick by Indianapolis, Mitchell fell out of favor with the Colts coaching staff, with the apparent breaking point coming when he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line and turned a touchdown into a turnover. Mitchell arrived in New York as part of the midseason trade that sent Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis. In just eight games with the Jets, he recorded 301 receiving yards, ranking fourth on the team and second among wide receivers. The production wasn’t overwhelming, especially considering he managed just 24 catches on 58 targets, but there were enough flashes to justify keeping him around.
His primary value comes as a vertical threat, adding an element to the offense that neither Wilson nor Cooper naturally provides. He’s received plenty of contested-catch opportunities dating back to his time at Texas, but he hasn’t converted those chances consistently enough. There have also been character concerns attached to Mitchell since the draft process, and those may have contributed to his departure from Indianapolis. From the outside, though, it’s impossible to know how accurate those reports truly are. Mitchell remains a flawed but highly talented receiver who brings a unique dimension to the room and still possesses the upside to become a difference-maker.
Beyond the top three, the depth chart becomes concerning. The Jets may choose to lean heavily into 12 personnel this season, allowing Cooper and Mitchell to rotate while keeping two tight ends on the field. Even so, if anyone behind the top three is forced into a major role, things could get ugly in a hurry.
Arian Smith was a fourth-round pick last year whom I considered a reach. He logged a similar number of offensive snaps to what Wilson and Mitchell accumulated over the course of the season but finished with just seven receptions on 16 targets for 52 yards. Smith is a legitimate deep-threat athlete whose biggest issue remains catching the football consistently. He never earned a significant target share at Georgia and failed to do much with his 376 offensive snaps as a rookie. Given the strength of other positions on the roster, I could honestly see him becoming a cut candidate despite only being in his second season.
Isaiah Williams saw a smaller offensive role but quietly put together a respectable season, catching 26 of 36 targets for 193 yards while contributing heavily on special teams. He’s a true underneath slot receiver who can provide struggling quarterbacks with a reliable checkdown option. There’s not a ton of upside here, but he’s a useful depth piece whose special teams value helps secure his roster spot.
Veteran Tim Patrick could end up as the WR4, though he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot either. Patrick was a productive player in Denver, surpassing 700 receiving yards in both 2020 and 2021. Unfortunately, a devastating run of injuries derailed his career. He missed all of 2022 with a torn ACL and all of 2023 with a torn Achilles before spending the last two seasons in Detroit and Jacksonville. Since those injuries, Patrick has totaled just 581 receiving yards. At his best, he was a big-bodied contested-catch receiver who could also threaten defenses down the field. He hasn’t consistently filled that role since returning, but he still offers a skill set that complements the top three receivers. If he has enough athleticism left to contribute, Patrick should have the inside track to the WR4 role, with Smith and Williams functioning more as depth pieces and positional backups to Mitchell and Cooper, respectively.
As for the names behind the six favorites for roster spots, Jamaal Pritchett was a 2025 undrafted free agent who spent last season on the practice squad. He generated some buzz during the 2025 Senior Bowl process before ultimately going undrafted. If he were to make the roster, it would likely be as a gadget player, return specialist, and yards-after-catch threat, but I struggle to find a path to a 53-man roster spot for him.
The Jets also brought in Gee Scott Jr., who spent time on both the Patriots and Commanders practice squads after going undrafted in 2025. He also played for the UFL’s Columbus Aviators this offseason. A converted tight end, Scott offers a bigger body than most of the receivers competing for the final roster spots and could become an option if Tim Patrick gets hurt or fails to make the team.
The Jets signed four undrafted receivers following this year’s draft, and Caullin Lacy received the most guaranteed money of any undrafted free agent in the class. As a result, he’s probably the most likely of the group to make either the roster or practice squad. Lacy was a difficult evaluation. At 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, he lacks ideal size and isn’t an exceptional athlete either. Despite that, he was productive at South Alabama and flashed potential after transferring to Louisville. I love undrafted signings like this because, on paper, it feels like a player with his physical profile shouldn’t be able to produce the way he did. Yet somehow he consistently found ways to make it work. He’s exactly the type of player worth bringing into camp to see how his game translates against NFL competition. At the very least, he provides another return option should something happen to Kene Nwangwu.
Next is Malik McClain, who also received guaranteed money as part of his free agent deal. McClain was near the top of my watch list, but he wasn’t a prospect I completed a full evaluation on before the draft. From what I’ve seen, he profiles as a tall but somewhat lanky contested-catch receiver. He’ll likely be competing with Tim Patrick and some of the other bigger-bodied receivers for a roster spot. McClain added weight leading up to his pro day, and if he can continue adding functional strength without sacrificing athleticism, he could become an interesting developmental option.
DT Sheffield did not receive any guaranteed money, but I may actually like him more than Lacy as a prospect. Like Lacy, he’s undersized at just 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds, but he offers noticeably more athletic upside. The tradeoff is that drops were a recurring issue throughout his college career. Much like Lacy, though, Sheffield is exactly the type of player who makes sense as a camp flyer. The physical tools are intriguing enough to justify rolling the dice.
My favorite player of the group is Jalen Walthall and the only one I graded as a priority free agent. At Incarnate Word, he consistently won from the slot with sharp route running and provided quick, easy completions for his quarterback. Unfortunately for him, he received no guaranteed money and joins a roster that already has Isaiah Williams filling a very similar role. That makes his path to the active roster difficult, but if I were running things, I’d absolutely want to keep him around on the practice squad.
Finally, it’s worth noting that 2025 undrafted free agent Quentin Skinner, who recorded one reception last season, has been placed on season-ending injured reserve and will not play in 2026. It’s not a major loss by any means, but it does slightly thin out the competition at the bottom of the depth chart.
The Jets have assembled a solid core of three receivers with complementary skill sets, and the addition of Tim Patrick helps fill a role that the starters don’t naturally provide. The depth behind them remains a concern, but a healthy rotation and heavy use of tight ends should help mask those issues if the coaching staff manages the personnel correctly. This room is significantly improved from the “Garrett Wilson and nobody else” receiver group that entered 2025. There’s still plenty of room for growth, but wide receiver is now much closer to being a strength than a weakness. The group comes in at No. 19 in my rankings, largely due to the number of unproven players, but the upside here is substantial, especially if they’re eventually paired with a high-level quarterback.
Tight Ends (22nd)
While the tight end room ranks just 22nd in my current rankings, it’s filled with young, exciting talent and has a real chance to become one of the strengths of this roster over the next few years. While he’s technically not the starting tight end, I’ll begin with the centerpiece of the room: 16th overall pick Kenyon Sadiq. Sadiq ran an absurd 4.39 forty-yard dash at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds. For comparison, Chris Brazzell, a big-bodied, athletic wide receiver, ran a 4.37 at just 198 pounds. The athletic traits are truly rare, especially at the Tight End position.
That said, Sadiq isn’t as polished as some of the elite tight end prospects we’ve seen enter the league in recent years, such as Brock Bowers, Tyler Warren, or Colston Loveland. His best collegiate season at Oregon produced 560 receiving yards, though he also found the end zone eight times. While Sadiq is a freak athlete and still just 21 years old, he lacks the size, strength, and blocking ability to hold up as a full-time in-line tight end.
Fortunately for both him and the Jets, that’s not what they’ll be asking him to do. Instead, Sadiq should operate in a hybrid role that blurs the line between second tight end and third wide receiver. That deployment allows the Jets to maximize his strengths as a receiver while minimizing his shortcomings as a blocker. He’s an excellent route runner with the athleticism to become a true mismatch weapon at the NFL level. If everything develops correctly, he’s the type of player defensive coordinators have to account for on every snap.
The second receiving threat in the room, even if he’s technically TE1, is 2025 second-round pick Mason Taylor. At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Taylor already possesses prototypical NFL tight end size and may be adding even more weight this offseason. Coming out of college, Taylor was viewed as a complete, every-down tight end. As a rookie, he led the Jets in receptions and finished with 369 receiving yards. He has reliable hands, consistently finds soft spots in coverage, and has a knack for moving the chains. While he’s not a dominant man-coverage beater, he excels against zone looks and occasionally flashes a bit of the spatial awareness that has made Travis Kelce so effective throughout his career.
Ironically, despite his size and “do-it-all” reputation, Taylor wasn’t a particularly polished blocker entering the league. That’s an area the coaching staff will need to continue developing, especially now that he’ll likely be spending more time in traditional tight end alignments following Sadiq’s arrival. The addition of Sadiq may slightly limit Taylor’s statistical ceiling, but the two complement each other well. They bring different strengths as receivers and should be able to coexist comfortably in formations where both are running routes.
The third tight end is Jeremy Ruckert, the Jets’ 2022 fourth-round pick who recently earned a contract extension. After several underwhelming seasons as both a receiver and blocker, Ruckert finally showed some growth in 2025. He finished with 23 receptions while also taking noticeable steps forward as a blocker. His offensive role in 2026 should remain relatively small. He projects primarily as Mason Taylor’s backup, while an injury to Sadiq would likely be addressed by adding another wide receiver to the rotation rather than expanding Ruckert’s receiving responsibilities. In three-tight-end packages, however, Ruckert may be the best blocker in the room unless the Jets choose to use fullback Andrew Beck or an extra offensive lineman in those situations. He also contributes on special teams, making him the type of dependable depth player every roster needs. His role may be modest, but his roster spot should be relatively secure.
The fourth tight end is former Colts first-round pick Jelani Woods. Injuries have defined much of Woods’ NFL career, and when healthy, he hasn’t developed the way Indianapolis hoped he would. Last season with the Jets, he played just 60 offensive snaps and finished with only four receiving yards. With Taylor, Sadiq, Ruckert, and even Andrew Beck ahead of him in the pecking order, Woods enters camp squarely on the roster bubble. If he does make the team, he’s probably the player best suited to fill Sadiq’s role due to his athletic profile. However, last season the Jets made it clear they preferred using Taylor and Ruckert together rather than giving Woods meaningful offensive snaps.
The fifth and final tight end is undrafted rookie Chase Curtis. Listed as a WR/TE hybrid at TCU, Curtis measured 6-foot-5 but weighed only 220 pounds during his college career. He added weight after the season but still posted just a 4.68 forty-yard dash at his pro day. Curtis wasn’t a prospect I evaluated before the draft, and it’s easy to see why. He never topped 200 receiving yards in a season and enters the league already 26 years old. At that age, it’s difficult to even classify him as a developmental project, though he’ll certainly need plenty of development to stick at the NFL level. The depth chart ahead of him is crowded, but with only five tight ends currently on the roster, he’ll get plenty of opportunities to prove himself during camp. Practice squad consideration is by far the most realistic outcome.
The excitement surrounding this room is almost entirely driven by Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor. The rest of the group consists primarily of depth pieces and role players. Still, having two recent early-round draft picks with complementary skill sets gives the Jets one of the more intriguing young tight end duos in the league. They may rank just 22nd entering the season, but this is a group with plenty of upside and a chance to climb the rankings quickly if Sadiq and Taylor continue to develop.
Offensive Line (21st)
Offensive Tackles (14th) & Interior Offensive Line (18th)
On the offensive line, the Jets appear to have found their tackle duo of the future. Pair them with a solid interior, and this unit could quickly become one of the strengths of the roster. At left tackle, the Jets spent their 2024 first-round pick on Olu Fashanu out of Penn State. After an up-and-down rookie season in which he started seven games, Fashanu broke out in 2025, particularly as a pass blocker. On the right side is 2025 first-round pick Armand Membou. The seventh overall selection stepped into the starting lineup immediately and put together a very solid rookie campaign. He played well in both phases, but his movement skills in the run game were especially impressive. It cost the Jets first-round picks in back-to-back years, but they now have what is likely the best young tackle duo in the league. Fashanu and Membou complement each other extremely well, and both have legitimate breakout potential entering this season.
The interior offensive line is led by right guard Joe Tippmann. Tippmann has steadily developed since arriving in New York and now enters his fourth season with the team. He’s been a better run blocker than pass blocker throughout most of his career, though he made noticeable strides in pass protection last season. He’s not someone the Jets are counting on to become a star, but he should be a reliable starter alongside Membou. The same can largely be said for left guard Dylan Parham, who was signed away from the Raiders this offseason to replace Alijah Vera-Tucker. Parham is solid across the board, but he’ll occasionally lose a rep badly enough to put his quarterback or running back in trouble. Most offensive lines have at least one clear weak link, and Parham isn’t that. At the same time, he isn’t quite the consistently above-average guard you hope you’re getting when signing a veteran free agent. The final starter is center Josh Myers, who arrived from Green Bay last offseason. Of the five projected starters, Myers is probably the most polarizing. He’s a quality pass blocker but has consistently struggled in the run game. Poor center play can often be hidden in outside-zone systems, but Frank Reich’s inside-zone scheme puts much more responsibility on the position. That’s something worth monitoring because it could ultimately cap the ceiling of an otherwise strong rushing attack. Overall, though, Myers is probably one of the better fifth offensive linemen you’ll find across the league.
At tackle, the depth is respectable. Chukwuma Okorafor is a serviceable backup, even if he isn’t someone you’d want starting for an extended stretch. Max Mitchell has experience at both tackle and guard and provides useful versatility while also being a capable run blocker. Landon Young and Courtland Ford round out the tackle room. Young offers value as an extra blocker in heavy packages but was likely signed primarily for depth and will probably compete with Mitchell for a roster spot. Undrafted rookie Courtland Ford out of UCLA wasn’t on my draft radar and projects more as a practice squad candidate.
The interior depth is considerably less proven. Mitchell—or even Okorafor in an emergency—could kick inside if necessary, but Xavier Newman currently projects as the primary backup center. He played very few snaps last season and remains largely unproven, though the fact that he’s stuck around through multiple coaching staffs suggests the organization trusts him as its emergency option. Sixth-round pick Anez Cooper is probably the most intriguing backup on the interior. At 6-foot-6 and 334 pounds, his size and strength are outstanding. He lacks initial quickness and overall athleticism, but those physical limitations become less problematic in a downhill, inside-zone offense than they would in a Shanahan-style outside-zone system. As long as the Jets don’t ask him to consistently pull or block in space, he has a chance to develop into a quality player.
Marquis Hayes rounds out the interior depth chart, though I’m not convinced he’ll ultimately make the roster. He’s an inexperienced guard who has yet to carve out a meaningful role since entering the league in 2022. Kohl Levao and Liam Fornadel are additional depth options with very little NFL tape available. Neither would surprise me if they stuck around, but I currently prefer some of the names ahead of them. Finally, Xavier Hill is an undrafted guard from Colorado who also wasn’t on my draft radar.
The starters may not feature an established elite player, but both tackles have the talent to develop into one. The interior is far less flashy, but all three projected starters are solid, giving the Jets a reliable offensive line that should allow both the passing and running games to function effectively. The depth isn’t ideal, but that’s true for most NFL offensive lines. You could certainly do worse than Okorafor and Mitchell as your top backups, though the interior depth becomes concerning if injuries begin to pile up. There’s also the lingering concern surrounding Frank Reich’s history with offensive lines. The Jets have invested far too much into this unit to let its development stall. It would be a disaster if the offensive scheme ends up slowing the growth of players like Membou and Fashanu instead of helping them reach their potential.
Offense (28th) – Pass Game (28th) – Run Game (19th)
The Jets’ offense and passing game rank just 28th in my rankings, but that’s primarily a reflection of the quarterback position. There are still plenty of young, unproven players throughout the offense who need to take the next step, but this unit is much closer than its ranking suggests. In my opinion, it’s a quarterback away from becoming a true strength of the team.
For now, the identity of this offense is its run game. Behind a strong offensive line and a trio of talented running backs, the ground attack should serve as the engine that drives everything else. The receiving corps is loaded with upside, and if the Jets eventually solve the quarterback position, this offense has the potential to become one of the more exciting young units in the league.
Defensive Line (26th)
Interior Defensive Line (15th)
With Quinnen Williams gone, the interior defensive line obviously takes a step back, but this is still a very strong group, especially after the Jets’ offseason additions. We’ll discuss the loss of Jermaine Johnson in the edge section, but I absolutely love the trade for T’Vondre Sweat. Sweat has quickly developed into one of the league’s best young nose tackles. While nose tackle isn’t viewed as one of football’s premium positions, an elite run defender in the middle can completely change how a defense operates, and that’s exactly what Sweat brings.
Joining him is Harrison Phillips, who returns as a high-quality defensive tackle/3-4 end. Phillips is the type of player whose impact rarely shows up in the box score, but he’s a reliable starter who consistently does the dirty work. Rounding out the starting trio is veteran David Onyemata. Throughout his career, Onyemata has been an effective interior pass rusher as a 3-4 defensive end, and the Jets are hoping he can continue producing at that level entering his age-33 season.
Behind the starters is one of my favorite depth players on the roster, Jowon Briggs. Originally a seventh-round pick by Cleveland in 2024, Briggs was traded to New York last season and quietly broke out. On an otherwise struggling Jets defense, he often looked like their best defensive lineman in 2025. While the offseason additions push him back into a rotational role, that may actually be the best way to maximize his impact. If his development continues, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back in the starting lineup before long.
Fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. rounds out the top five. I don’t expect him to play a major role as a rookie, but I like the selection as a developmental defensive tackle. He could see occasional snaps spelling Sweat at nose tackle, though the Jets may instead choose to slide Phillips or Briggs inside in those situations. Either way, Jackson’s role should remain fairly limited in Year 1.
Beyond those five, every roster spot feels up for grabs. 2025 undrafted free agent Payton Page currently has the inside track, but he doesn’t have the pedigree to be considered a roster lock and may ultimately be better suited for the practice squad. Former Cowboys first-round pick Mazi Smith also enters the mix after being included in the Quinnen Williams trade. At this point, it’s fair to call Smith a disappointment relative to his draft status, but if the Jets believe they can unlock some of the potential that made him a first-round pick, he could carve out a role as additional depth at nose tackle. Jack Heflin and Eric Watts round out the room, though neither is expected to make the 53-man roster.
This group no longer has a true game-wrecker like Quinnen Williams, but it’s still one of the more well-rounded interior defensive lines in the league. Sweat, Phillips, and Onyemata form a quality starting trio, while Briggs may be the most intriguing fourth defensive tackle in football. A deep rotation should keep everyone fresh and allow each player to specialize in what they do best rather than forcing anyone into an every-down role.
Edge Rushers (26th)
While the edge room ranks just 26th in my rankings, I actually think the Jermaine Johnson trade made a lot of sense, and I’d be pretty happy with this group if I were the Jets. Even without Johnson, the room is fairly crowded, and after his injury, a change of scenery probably made sense for both sides. The biggest question is who emerges as the No. 1 edge rusher. The Jets are clearly hoping that role belongs to No. 2 overall pick David Bailey. Without getting too negative, I never really understood the hype surrounding Bailey. Despite ultimately becoming the consensus No. 2 overall prospect, he wasn’t in my top 10 players in this class. I think too much is being made of his sack production in college, and I believe his floor is lower than many people expect. Bailey wins primarily with his explosiveness off the snap, but he hasn’t consistently shown the variety of NFL-caliber pass-rush moves you’d like to see from a premium edge prospect. That doesn’t mean I think he’ll be a bust. I simply don’t expect him to make the immediate impact we’ve seen from prospects like Will Anderson Jr. or Aidan Hutchinson. Instead, I think his early career will look much closer to what we’ve seen from players like Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu.
Ironically, I think the Jets’ best pass rusher today is Will McDonald IV, even though he isn’t currently projected as a starter. In this rotation, McDonald won’t have to play as many early-down run-defense snaps, allowing the coaching staff to maximize what he does best as a pass rusher despite the team essentially drafting his replacement.
Projected opposite Bailey is Joseph Ossai, who never fully recovered from the infamous late penalty that helped the Chiefs eliminate the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. Obviously, one play doesn’t define a career, but his standing within Cincinnati’s defense never truly bounced back, and the Bengals ultimately chose not to re-sign him after his rookie contract expired. Ossai fits nicely as an early-down edge setter and run defender. On obvious passing downs, I expect the Jets to lean more heavily on Bailey and McDonald as their primary pass-rushing duo, allowing each player to settle into the role that best suits his strengths.
Behind the top three sits Kingsley Enagbare, who gives the Jets quality depth and could easily earn a larger role if given the opportunity. Even if he remains the fourth edge rusher, that’s a luxury few teams have.
If the Jets decide to carry a fifth edge defender, the competition likely comes down to 2024 undrafted free agent Braiden McGregor and 2025 fifth-round pick Tyler Baron. McGregor actually logged nearly a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps last season but failed to make much of an impact. Personally, I’d lean toward carrying only four edge rushers, but if they keep a fifth, I’d rather invest those snaps in Baron and see what they have in the recent draft pick.
Kingsley Jonathan and undrafted rookie Nathan Voorhis project as practice squad candidates, as does Paschal Ekeji, who has the added benefit of not counting against the practice squad limit as part of the International Player Pathway Program.
As a whole, this edge room lacks a proven difference-maker, but it’s filled with talented young players and complementary skill sets that should allow the Jets to build an effective rotation. They can’t rank much higher until someone establishes himself as a true No. 1 pass rusher, but paired with a strong interior defensive line, Aaron Glenn has plenty of talent to work with. It’s now on the coaching staff to maximize that talent and turn it into the impactful defensive front the 2025 Jets simply didn’t have.
Linebackers (2nd)
The linebacker room has been a question mark ever since C.J. Moseley retired, leaving Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood to lead the group. Neither was consistent enough to truly anchor the defense, and the position became a weakness as a result.
Sherwood, a former safety, is very good at what he does. He’s an excellent coverage linebacker and blitzer who always seems to find his way around the football. The problem is that he’s not a traditional run-defending middle linebacker. Sherwood was at his best when playing alongside someone like Moseley or Williams who could handle the dirty work in the middle and allow him to play more freely. As Williams’ play declined and Sherwood was asked to take on a more traditional linebacker role, his performance began to slip as well.That’s why addressing this position was so important this offseason, and the Jets absolutely accomplished that goal.
Demario Davis was one of the best free agents available at any position, and especially at linebacker, where he’s consistently performed at a top-five level for years. It was surprising to see a rebuilding team like the Jets pry Davis away from the NFL organization he’d ever played for, for the past eight seasons, the New Orleans Saints. Davis is exactly what this defense needed. He’s a complete linebacker who can anchor the middle of the defense, direct traffic, and allow Sherwood to get back to doing what he does best. For years, the only concern with Davis has been the same one that eventually catches every player: age. Davis enters the season at 37 years old, and regression would hardly be shocking. That said, he’s spent years outperforming the typical aging curve, and because his game relies more on instincts, intelligence, and positioning than pure athleticism, there’s reason to believe he can remain an impact player even if he loses a step physically.
Beyond the top two, there is some optimism but very little proven production. Francisco “Kiko” Mauigoa is probably the favorite for the third linebacker spot. The fifth-round rookie saw the field occasionally last season and struggled at times, but he never looked completely overwhelmed by the speed of the NFL game. Marcelino McCrary-Ball is also listed as a backup, though his primary value comes on special teams. I expect him to make the roster, but I don’t anticipate much of a defensive role. Ironically, Mykal Walker may be the most talented linebacker behind the starters, yet he currently finds himself buried on the depth chart. Whether that changes during camp remains to be seen. There is also an opportunity for one of the undrafted free agents to make some noise, but neither Jaden Keller nor Chase Wilson were prospects I spent much time evaluating during the draft process.
Ultimately, this room is only as good as its top two players, but fortunately those two players fit together exceptionally well. I’ve made this point throughout this roster preview, but I genuinely believe the Jets have done a beautiful job constructing this team around complementary skill sets. Whether it’s the running backs, the tight ends, or now the linebackers, the pieces fit together in ways that make sense. More than almost any position group on the roster, I’m excited to see Davis and Sherwood play together. If Davis can continue to defy Father Time and Sherwood can return to the role that made him successful in the first place, this could quietly become one of the better linebacker duos in the league.
Cornerbacks (28th)
If there is a major weakness on the Jets outside of the quarterback position, it’s probably cornerback. The three-headed monster of Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed, and Michael Carter that anchored the peak of this defense is gone, and the replacement group has far more questions than answers. CB1 should be Brandon Stephens, who signed with the Jets from Baltimore last offseason on a sizeable contract. In fact, he carries the highest cap hit on the team in 2026. I didn’t think Stephens was worth that contract when it was signed, and I still don’t. That said, he wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected in 2025, even if the secondary as a whole was much worse than anticipated. Stephens struggled badly in zone coverage but showed some encouraging flashes in man coverage. Fortunately for him, Aaron Glenn’s defense is one of the most man-heavy schemes in the league, living in Cover 1 as often as almost anyone. That should allow Stephens to be a serviceable starter instead of becoming a liability.
Starting opposite him is free-agent addition Nahshon Wright, a true gambler at cornerback. Wright constantly looks to create turnovers and isn’t afraid to take risks to make a big play. That aggressive mentality resulted in five interceptions last season. Considering the Jets failed to record a single interception in 2025, signing Wright almost feels like insurance that they’ll come away with at least one this year. Of course, that style comes with drawbacks. Wright is far from a complete corner and will give up his share of big plays by selling out for interceptions. That’s especially risky in Aaron Glenn’s defense, which asks a lot from its outside corners in base personnel. Wright should inject some much-needed playmaking into the secondary, but he’ll also have to live with the consequences when those gambles don’t pay off.
Even though the coaching staff that helped develop D.J. Reed is long gone, I absolutely loved the fit of drafting D’Angelo Ponds. Ponds was a first-round talent trapped in an undrafted free agent’s body, which ultimately pushed him into the second round. He’s an athletic off-zone corner who maximizes every bit of his 5-foot-9, 182-pound frame. While he has experience playing outside, he’ll almost certainly begin his career as the Jets’ slot corner. He also has enough man coverage ability to fit nicely into Glenn’s scheme, which should help ease the transition. The biggest concern is simply his size. He’s a willing run defender and honestly better against the run than you’d expect from someone his size, but “better than expected” doesn’t necessarily mean good. Bigger slot receivers and physical running games could create problems for him early in his career. Fortunately, in Cover 1 he’ll usually have a safety available to help in the run game, which should lessen some of those concerns.
Behind the projected starters, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is the first man up in the slot and would likely replace Ponds if the rookie isn’t ready to start in Week 1. Brownlee spent most of his career in Tennessee before arriving in New York via trade last season, where he filled a depth role and saw time in dime packages.
Outside, 2025 third-round pick Azareye’h Thomas projects as the primary backup. Like Brownlee, Thomas spent most of last season in a reserve role before seeing more opportunities following the Sauce Gardner trade. The addition of Wright pushes him down the depth chart for now, but his press-man skill set still gives him a chance to earn defensive snaps throughout the season.
Qwan’tez Stiggers rounds out what is likely to be the top six corners. He played 21% of the Jets’ defensive snaps last season while serving as a core special teamer. He hasn’t shown much defensively yet, but his special teams value makes him feel like a safe bet to make the roster.
With six players who all feel comfortably ahead on the depth chart, it’s difficult to see anyone else cracking the 53-man roster. Tre Brown has proven to be capable depth throughout his career, but he clearly sits behind the returning players ahead of him. 2025 undrafted free agent Jordan Clark saw some defensive snaps last season but feels more like a practice squad candidate. The same is probably true for 2026 undrafted rookie Mory Bamba, whose path became much tougher after landing in New York. Finally, there’s Samuel Womack III, a player I continue to believe in. He’s buried on the depth chart, but I still think he has value as a fifth or sixth corner and core special teamer. I’ve been a little surprised by how difficult it’s been for him to stick on an NFL roster.
Overall, this room has plenty of capable depth pieces, but the starting trio is filled with question marks. Stephens struggles in zone coverage, Wright struggles with consistency because of his aggressive style, and Ponds enters the league with legitimate concerns about his size and how quickly he’ll adjust to NFL competition.
Cornerback is a weak-link position in today’s NFL, and it’s entirely possible the Jets have three weak links in their starting lineup. I expect Ponds to make plenty of plays while also taking some rookie lumps. I expect Glenn to do everything he can to protect Stephens by leaning heavily on man coverage. And I expect Wright to create turnovers while also surrendering his fair share of explosive plays. I don’t think this group will be a disaster, but I do expect it to finish as a well-below-average cornerback room. I understand the vision behind signing Wright and appreciate the mentality he brings to the defense, but unlike most position groups on this roster, this feels like a unit that should, and probably will, look very different by 2027.
Safeties (14th)
A likely tanking Dolphins team flipped safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets this offseason in what was essentially a salary dump. Fitzpatrick isn’t the superstar he once was, but it would be hard not to view him as an upgrade over what the Jets had at safety last season. His interception production has fallen off in recent years, but he still projects well as a box safety, which is likely the role he’ll fill in New York. Playing alongside him should be Andre Cisco, who returns after joining the Jets last season. Cisco is about as average a starting safety as you’ll find. He isn’t a difference-maker, but the Jets are hoping he can simply provide steady, reliable play on the back end.
If Cisco can’t hold onto the job, 2025 fourth-round pick Malachi Moore will likely get the first opportunity to replace him. I was a big fan of Moore as a draft prospect, but his rookie season as a near full-time starter exposed some of the limitations I underestimated coming out of college. He should compete for the starting role throughout camp, but I expect the Jets to stick with Cisco unless Moore shows meaningful development this offseason. Dane Belton also enters the conversation after crossing town from the Giants this offseason. Throughout his rookie contract, Belton established himself as a quality depth player and borderline starter. Between Fitzpatrick, Cisco, Moore, and Belton, I expect the Jets to find a capable starting duo while also rotating a third safety into nickel and dime packages as a big slot defender.
If the Jets carry a fifth safety, seventh-round rookie VJ Payne is the favorite for that spot. Payne was once viewed as a potential Day 2 pick, with some draft analysts projecting him as high as the fourth round before the draft. Simply put, I didn’t think the tape matched the athletic upside. He’s very much a traits-based projection, but that’s exactly the type of player worth taking a chance on in the seventh round. I’d like to see the Jets find a way to keep him around, even if it ultimately ends up being on the practice squad.
If they’re looking for additional depth, 2025 undrafted free agent Dean Clark flashed in limited action as a rookie and performed admirably given the circumstances. Even so, he feels like a long shot to make the final roster. Rounding out the room are Keidron Smith and Jarius Monroe, two former undrafted players who have yet to establish themselves with an NFL team. Both appear to be competing for practice squad spots more than places on the 53-man roster.
Like several other position groups on this roster, safety offers plenty of depth but not many sure things. The Jets have several legitimate options; it’s just a matter of determining which combination works best. With this unit ranked 14th in my positional rankings, I clearly believe Fitzpatrick still has enough left in the tank, and I’m confident one of Cisco, Moore, or Belton will develop into a quality starter alongside him.
Defense (23rd) – Front Seven (22nd) – Coverage Unit (19th)
This Jets defense won’t be flashy. They don’t have a game-wrecking edge rusher or a lockdown corner who can single-handedly raise the ceiling of the unit. Instead, they’ve built through some of the less glamorous position groups, improving linebacker, defensive tackle, and safety while doing an excellent job raising the overall floor of the defense.
Outside of linebacker, where most of the talent is concentrated in the starting duo, every position features quality depth throughout the projected 53-man roster, and in some cases even beyond it. Without much proven star power, this is about as well-built a defense as you could hope for, especially if rookies David Bailey and D’Angelo Ponds eventually develop into those cornerstone players.
If the Jets are right about Bailey in particular, and he becomes the kind of edge rusher you’re happy to spend the No. 2 overall pick on, this defense may only need a few of its borderline starters to develop into reliable full-time contributors before it starts resembling the calling card of the team once again. With a defensive-minded head coach, the upside is there, and there’s a clear vision for how all of these pieces could come together to form an elite defense.
More realistically, though, the rookies will probably experience some growing pains, and a few of those borderline starters will show why they haven’t locked down full-time jobs elsewhere. That will likely leave the Jets entering 2027 with a handful of remaining holes to fill. And honestly, that’s okay. The offense isn’t ready to compete at a high level yet, so the defense doesn’t have to be perfect in 2026. As long as this unit takes a meaningful step forward from last year’s disaster and gives the franchise positive momentum heading into next season, that should be considered a successful year for the Jets.
Specialists (4th)
Nick Folk was a solid kicker, but Jason Sanders should provide a similar level of production after joining the Jets this offseason. He isn’t one of the league’s elite kickers, but he’s a reliable veteran who should get the job done.
Austin McNamara emerged as one of the NFL’s best punters after earning his first opportunity as a full-time starter in 2025. Punter is one of the more volatile positions from year to year, so there’s no guarantee he repeats that performance, but all the Jets can do is hope last season was the beginning rather than the exception.
Long snapper Thomas Hennessy returns for his 10th season with the organization and remains one of the veteran leaders of the special teams unit. While I expect Sanders, McNamara, and Hennessy to open the season as the three specialists, kicker Cade York was brought in to provide competition. At this point, though, York appears to be well behind Sanders in that battle. Undrafted rookie long snapper Garrison Grimes was on my draft radar and always felt like someone who would get an opportunity in camp, but beating out a veteran like Hennessy is a difficult task.
Kene Nwangwu remains one of the league’s better return specialists, with Isaiah Williams providing another capable option if needed. The coverage units were also outstanding under Chris Banjo last season. Many of the players who led the team in special teams snaps will have to earn their roster spots again this summer, so the personnel could look quite different in 2026. Even so, Banjo has already shown he can get the most out of his group, and this unit is far more likely to be a strength than a weakness once again.
Win Prediction (Over 4.5)
The Jets’ win total is set at just 4.5, tied with teams like the Dolphins, Browns, Cardinals, and Raiders. From a fan’s perspective, the ideal season probably involves seeing plenty of flashes from the young core while still remaining in the mix for a top draft pick. I just don’t think that’s how this season plays out.
For one, this coaching staff is coaching for its jobs. Aaron Glenn and his staff have no reason to prioritize draft position over wins. More importantly, I simply think the roster is too good. As long as the quarterback situation isn’t a complete disaster, I have a hard time seeing this team losing 13 games. I know I’m higher on the Jets than most, but I really love the way this roster has been constructed. There isn’t a glaring weakness outside of quarterback, the depth is strong across almost every position group, and I trust the overall floor of the roster to win more than four games. I’m comfortably taking the over.
The schedule also helps. Yes, the AFC East is a competitive division, and drawing the AFC West doesn’t make life any easier. There are plenty of difficult games on the schedule, but the Jets don’t need to beat the league’s best teams to cash this ticket. They also play all five teams I have ranked below them, including two games against my No. 32-ranked Dolphins. On top of that, their trip to Buffalo comes in Week 18, where playoff teams often rest starters and late-season upsets become much more common.
In a world where no one is actively tanking, I don’t think the Jets are bad enough to earn the No. 1 overall pick. I also think they’re significantly less likely to tank than several of the teams around them in the standings because of the pressure on the coaching staff to win now. If both of those things are true, it’s very difficult for me to see this team finishing under 4.5 wins with a schedule that includes so many games against the rest of the league’s bottom tier.
