The Jets’ rebuild has left them with a pile of young, cheap talent, but not every prospect can survive the numbers game. Some of these players still deserve a real runway. Others already look like they’re running out of it.
One of the clearest keepers is cornerback Azareye'h Thomas, who is battling Nahshon Wright for the second outside cornerback job behind Brandon Stephens. Thomas may have questions about his long speed, but his physicality at the line and active hands make him the kind of player the Jets would be wise not to toss aside too soon.
Running back Braelon Allen belongs in the same conversation. He’s been stuck behind Breece Hall on the depth chart and then got hurt right as a chance to break out was opening up. At nearly 250 pounds and still only 22, Allen has the kind of size and tools that can make an offensive coordinator sit up.
The Jets should also keep investing in Mitchell, who has turned heads in OTAs and now looks likely to open the season as the No. 2 wide receiver. He’s more than just a promising young piece; a strong third season could push him into the team’s long-term plans.
On the other side of the ledger, edge rusher Tyler Baron looks like a player the Jets can move on from. He had chances to earn extra snaps on a front that struggled badly last year, yet he was still losing time to Braiden McGregor. Now that the Jets have added three new edge rushers through the draft or free agency, Baron’s path to meaningful production looks even narrower.
Wide receiver Arian Smith is in a similar spot. His speed and special teams value may be the only things keeping him on the 53-man roster, especially after the Jets used picks on Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr., a sign they may already be looking elsewhere for their long-term pass-catching group.
In Other News...
Jets Backup QB Battle Just Became A High-Stakes Two-Man Race
The Jets backup quarterback picture has tightened into a two-man competition, with veteran Bailey Zappe and rookie Cade Klubnik now the names most worth tracking behind the starter. New York had explored other options earlier in the process, but the market thinned out and left the team sorting through a familiar NFL arm and a younger passer trying to make his case in a crowded spring setting.
Klubnik showed enough promise to stay in the mix, even while dealing with a minor back injury during OTAs and minicamp, and Zappe brings the kind of league experience that can matter in a QB2 job. With the Jets still looking for stability behind their top quarterback, this battle has become less about adding another body and more about which of these two can prove he is the safer answer if the depth chart is tested. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Are Already Asking How Real David Bailey Can Be
The Jets used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft on Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey, betting that his college production can translate quickly to the next level. He arrives with real pressure on his shoulders, but also a clear path to snaps in a pass-rush group that has been remade around him and Will McDonald IV.
Bailey is expected to step into a starting role and give New York the kind of edge presence it has been trying to assemble for years. The early question is how high his rookie ceiling can go, and whether his first season can already put him in the conversation as one of the league's most impactful young pass rushers. [Read more 🡒]
Geno Smith Just Entered A Defining Chapter Raiders Fans Know Well
Geno Smith is back in the AFC East with a fresh opportunity, and this one comes with a familiar kind of pressure. The Jets acquired the 35-year-old quarterback from the Raiders for the 2026 season, handing him the starting job as they look for stability under center. Smiths career has already shown he can thrive, especially during his strong run in Seattle, but his path has also included stretches where the league has asked harder questions about whether he can still hold down a starting role.
Now the questions are landing in New York, where the Jets are betting on a veteran who has seen plenty and still has something to prove. Smiths 2025 season in Las Vegas was a rough one, and 2026 shapes up as a defining chance to reset the conversation. For the Jets, it is a low-risk move with a potentially important payoff, because if Smith steadies the position, he could change the direction of their quarterback picture in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]