The New York Jets’ 2026 win total is out, and FanDuel has it set at 5.5.
That number lands after a brutal 2025 season in which New York finished 3-14 and made all the wrong kind of history. The Jets became the first team in NFL history not to record a defensive interception and lose five straight games by 23 or more points within a single season.
Now the franchise heads into Year 2 of the Aaron Glenn era with a roster that looks very different. The Jets added Geno Smith from the Raiders, Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins and T’Vondre Sweat from the Titans before free agency even opened, then brought in Demario Davis and Tim Patrick on the open market.
They also had a productive draft, selecting David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., D'Angelo Ponds, Darrell Jackson Jr., Cade Klubnik, Anez Cooper and VJ Payne.
Klubnik arrives with a reputation built at Clemson, where he was viewed as a winner forged by adversity. Smith, meanwhile, brings a long NFL résumé into the mix.
He has 22,168 passing yards, 124 passing touchdowns and 89 career interceptions, and his starting record sits at 42-56-0. He also threw 17 interceptions last season.
The schedule won’t make life easy. New York is set to face the Tennessee Titans, Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
Even with the upgrades, the expectation is that the Jets still miss the playoffs. But after the chaos of last season, Glenn’s team is projected to be more competitive and less of a league punchline.
There’s also a long-term wrinkle here. The Jets may actually be better off with another rough record in 2026, since that would position them for a high pick in the 2027 draft and a shot at Arch Manning or Dante Moore.
As Knox wrote, "The Jets don't necessarily need a playoff berth to call the season a success, but they do need to see meaningful progress, a team that plays disciplined football, develops its young talent, and gives fans reason to believe sustainable success is finally taking shape,".
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Have A Painful Decision On One Dependable Contributor
Andrew Beck gave the Jets exactly the kind of dependable, unspectacular value coaches tend to appreciate most. In 2025, he was a steady presence on special teams and a useful blocker on offense, the sort of hybrid piece who can help a roster in more than one phase and make life easier for everyone around him.
Now the problem is less about what Beck brought and more about where he fits next. With the addition of tight end Kenyon Sadiq and the club already carrying depth at tight end and running back, the Jets are staring at a roster squeeze that could force a tough call on one of their more reliable contributors. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Still Have An Unsettled Problem Behind Geno Smith
Summer practice has already put the Jets in the familiar position of sorting out depth behind Geno Smith, and the backup quarterback spot is one of the first real questions of camp. The team is looking at several candidates for the job, but the early read is that the competition is still wide open and no one has separated from the pack.
General manager Darren Mougey is expected to keep that room in flux, with another quarterback potentially joining the mix during training camp or after roster cuts. For now, the Jets are simply trying to find someone who can make the position feel settled, because the current group has not yet given them that comfort. [Read more 🡒]