The New York Jets’ 2025 season hasn’t just been disappointing - it’s been the kind of year that forces a franchise to take a hard look in the mirror. A lot of that reflection starts with the decisions made last offseason, where the front office set the tone for what would become a full-scale teardown by the trade deadline. And while some of those moves were inevitable, others are now looking like costly miscalculations.
Let’s start with the quarterback situation, because that’s where things really unraveled. The Jets made a bold move by bringing in Justin Fields on a two-year deal with $30 million guaranteed.
At the time, it was a gamble - one that had some logic behind it. Fields is a former first-round pick with undeniable athleticism and flashes of potential.
But in New York, that upside never materialized. Fields struggled mightily, failing to find rhythm or consistency, and was ultimately benched before the season's final stretch.
It’s hard to defend the move in hindsight. Fields didn’t just underperform - he became a liability.
The idea might’ve been to catch lightning in a bottle, but instead, the Jets ended up with a quarterback carousel and no clear direction under center. As Brian Costello noted, the Fields signing was a gamble that busted - plain and simple.
But the issues didn’t stop at quarterback. The Jets' approach to the wide receiver room was just as puzzling.
Garrett Wilson was expected to be the centerpiece, but after he went down with an injury, the lack of depth behind him was exposed - and fast. The team had no real Plan B, and that left their quarterbacks - Fields included - with few reliable targets.
That’s where the Davante Adams decision comes into focus. The Jets chose to part ways with the veteran wideout, who went on to thrive with Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.
Adams has racked up 14 touchdowns this season, and he’s looked every bit the elite receiver he’s always been. Yes, his contract was hefty, and yes, his connection to Aaron Rodgers made his future in New York complicated.
But letting him walk without a viable replacement? That’s a tough pill to swallow.
By the time the trade deadline rolled around, the Jets were scrambling. Moves had to be made to patch holes that were visible all offseason. The lack of foresight at wide receiver, combined with the Fields experiment gone wrong, left the offense in disarray - and the team’s record reflects that.
To be fair, not every offseason decision was a disaster. Some moves made sense, especially in the context of a team clearly pivoting toward a rebuild.
But the big swings - at quarterback and wide receiver - missed badly. And in a league where you only get so many chances to get it right, the Jets are now left trying to regroup and reassess, once again staring down a long road back to relevance.