The New York Jets look better on paper than they have in a while, especially on offense. That much is hard to miss. But paper upgrades and actual production are two very different things, and history has not exactly been kind to this group.
The biggest reason for optimism is the collection of talent around Geno Smith. The Jets have brought back Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, and they’ve added more help in Adonai Mitchell along with rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr., both of whom are getting their first full seasons with the team.
The offensive line also has some continuity, with four of five starters returning. Dylan Parham is expected to step in for left guard John Simpson.
Smith’s return gives the whole thing a different feel. Jeremy Bergman wrote that “Gang Green's latest QB makeover reunites Geno Smith with the team that drafted him in the 2013 second round.
A few so-so years and a broken jaw ended his initial Jets run, but the signal-caller, now 35, is back in Florham Park with more years under his belt, ready to rewrite his narrative. Surrounding him is the most talented crop of playmakers New York has had in years -- Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall anchor the returning skill players, while Adonai Mitchell and rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. get their first full seasons with the Jets.
A steady O-line is returning four of five starters -- Dylan Parham is set to replace left guard John Simpson,”
There’s also a new voice guiding the offense. Frank Reich is replacing the ousted Tanner Engstrand as offensive coordinator, and his background includes coaching a Super Bowl-winning offense in Philadelphia.
The key question, as Bergman put it, is how fast the Jets can come together into something more dangerous. Their summer sessions will be the first real chance to see it.
One thing hanging over the conversation is that Smith is reportedly under investigation for battery in Florida. He has not commented on the matter.
Even with the upgrades, skepticism makes sense. The Jets have not done enough offensively in recent years to make anyone comfortable assuming this will suddenly turn into a great unit. The young additions are intriguing, but they’re young for a reason, and expecting them to arrive and immediately change everything is a big ask.
That’s why the most realistic view is somewhere in the middle. The Jets can absolutely be better.
They might even be very good on offense. But until that talent starts showing up on the field, the doubts aren’t going anywhere.
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Davenport sees enough to like in the offense and points to rookie David Bailey as a defensive piece worth watching, but the broader outlook remains uneasy for a team trying to climb out of the leagues basement. Smiths turnover history is part of the backdrop, and the Jets will have to prove the new mix can hold up once the games start to matter, because the early read from outside the building is that 2026 could still be a grind. [Read more 🡒]