The New York Jets finished 3-14 last season, and the numbers behind that collapse were as ugly as they come. They became the first team in NFL history to go through a season without a defensive interception and to lose five straight games by 23 or more points in the same year. Year 1 of the Aaron Glenn era was a mess.
Still, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton sees one clear reason Jets fans can cling to hope for 2026.
“ Geno Smith will play behind what projects as an improved offensive line than the poorly coached, injury-riddled Las Vegas Raiders' unit that struggled to protect him while he took a league-high 55 sacks last season," Moton wrote.
That’s the swing factor for New York. If the Jets are going to surprise people and reach the playoffs this season, Smith is going to have to look like the quarterback he was with the Seattle Seahawks. His best NFL seasons came in Seattle in 2022 and 2023, when he made the Pro Bowl both years and won the 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Last season with the Raiders, Smith led the NFL in interceptions. He enters this year with 22,168 passing yards, 124 passing touchdowns and 89 career interceptions, along with a 42-56-0 record as a starter.
Garrett Wilson is also expecting a different feel around the team. The fifth-year receiver said the Jets can get to “meaningful football in December” in 2026.
“I believe we have the pieces in place that will get us to playing meaningful football in December, something I've dreamed about doing for a long time," Wilson told ESPN.
The schedule in Year 2 under Glenn is no joke. The Jets are set to face the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
New York also made a busy run of additions before the draft, landing Smith from the Raiders, Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins and T'Vondre Sweat from the Titans, then signing Demario Davis and Tim Patrick in free agency.
How many games the Jets win in 2026 will be worth watching closely. A bad season could set them up for a premium pick in the 2027 draft and a shot at Arch Manning or Dante Moore, but another disaster could put Glenn in a dangerous spot.
In Other News...
Joe Tippmann Just Raised A Real Jets O-Line Concern
Joe Tippmanns move from center to guard has already become one of the more important quiet developments for the Jets entering the 2025 season. After shifting over because of an injury to another player, Tippmann handled the position well enough to earn a four-year extension, a strong sign that the team sees him as part of the long-term answer on the interior of its offensive line.
The lingering issue is what happens if the Jets need help back at center. Tippmanns recent comments suggested he has not been working on snapping the ball, which points to Jordan Meredith as the more likely emergency option there. For a line that is trying to build stability, it is a reminder that depth and flexibility still matter just as much as the starting five. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Send Troubling Message About Their Quarterback Depth Before Week 1
The Jets are taking a look at more quarterback depth just before Week 1, bringing in Jack Plummer and Will Levis for workouts as practice squad possibilities. It is a reminder of how quickly the position can change behind Geno Smith, with rookie Cade Klubnik currently serving as the backup on the 53-man roster and the team still evaluating how much insurance it wants to carry.
Plummer has been coming off a strong run in the UFL, while Levis arrives with NFL starting experience after being released by Tennessee. The fact that both names are in the mix suggests the Jets are keeping their options open, but it also leaves an obvious question hanging over the roster as the opener approaches: whether the current quarterback room is settled enough for comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Have A Week 1 Edge Titans Fans May Hate
The Jets season opener against Tennessee already has the feel of a fresh start for both sides, with new head coaches and coordinators setting the tone in Week 1. New York also brought in nose tackle TVondre Sweat from the Titans, and his presence in the middle gives the Jets a familiar body with a very specific job: clogging lanes and making life difficult on the inside for a Tennessee offense that figures to lean on the run early under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
There is another layer to the matchup in the trenches, too, because the Titans added center Austin Schlottman, who followed Daboll from the Giants and won the starting job in Tennessee. That creates an early test of how quickly the Titans can settle in up front against a Jets defense that knows Sweat well, and it gives Week 1 a little extra edge for a game that already carries plenty of unknowns on both sideline. [Read more 🡒]