Once again, Jets fans are staring at the draft board before Thanksgiving even arrives.
At 2-7, with the Buffalo Bills coming to town this week, New York hasn’t exactly left its supporters many reasons to focus on the present. That’s why the game that may matter most for the Jets in Week 10 isn’t even the one they’re playing. It’s the matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins.
For anyone already thinking ahead, that’s the one to circle. The Jets have the Colts’ first-round pick because of the Sauce Gardner trade, and the current draft picture gives this game real weight.
Right now, the Dolphins sit at No. 3, the Jets’ pick via the Colts is No. 4, and New York’s own selection is No. 6.
A Dolphins win would help the Jets in two ways. It would push the Colts’ pick up because the teams would have the same record and Miami would have beaten Indianapolis, and if the Jets also lose to Buffalo, New York would move ahead of Miami as well. That would leave the Jets holding picks No. 3 and No. 4 behind only the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans.
There’s one complication: Miami just placed Malik Willis on injured reserve, which means Kyle McCord is set for his first career start. McCord was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, signed with the Packers in January of 2026, and then was traded to the Dolphins in August for a sixth-round pick to back up Willis.
The Colts are at home and listed as 3.5-point favorites, even after blowing a late fourth-quarter lead to the Cowboys last week in their fifth straight loss. Still, the quarterback change gives the Dolphins a shot.
McCord grew up a Jets fan and wore No. 6 in college because of Mark Sanchez, so he’s in position to help Gang Green this week.
And if you’re keeping score on the draft front, there’s another game worth watching: the San Francisco 49ers. A Cowboys loss there wouldn’t carry the same impact as a Dolphins win over the Colts, but it could help move Dallas’ pick up from No. 13 as well.
In Other News...
Jets Could Get A Needed Defensive Lift Against The Bills
The Jets are heading into their matchup with the Bills with a healthier look than they have had in weeks, and that matters for a defense that has been trying to piece things together through injuries. Aaron Glenn said most of the starters should be available, with Trevin Wallace the lone player ruled out, while Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr., Harrison Phillips and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. are all on track to suit up.
The biggest boost could come from Joseph Ossai, who has missed much of the season with a foot injury and has appeared in only three games so far. If he is back in the mix, it gives New York another edge option as it tries to stiffen up against Buffalo and get a more complete defensive effort at a time when every available body matters. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Added Intrigue To A Jets Season That Feels Lost
With the Bills set to face the Jets in Week 10, Buffalo is treating this as more than just another divisional game. Joe Brady said the Jets are better than their record suggests, pointing to an offense that has stayed competitive in a lot of close games, which is at least a nod to how much fight has remained in a season that otherwise has gone sideways in New York.
For Buffalo, the stakes are straightforward: keep building its position in the AFC East and protect a better playoff path. For the Jets, even a season that feels lost still has a way of creating problems for an opponent, especially one that has to prove its defense can handle a team that has been hanging around in games and making things uncomfortable late. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have Every Reason To Push Back On Geno Smith Narrative
Geno Smith has given the Jets something they have not had enough of this season: stability at quarterback. Even with the team struggling in the standings, Smith has put together a solid individual year, ranking 10th in passing yards and seventh in passer rating, a reminder that the position has not been the problem every Sunday. His play has also forced a rethink from the preseason, when he was slotted 32nd in FanSideds quarterback rankings and has since climbed to 26th.
For a fan base that has spent years waiting for competent quarterback play, there is a real case for pushing back on any narrative that treats Smith like a placeholder. The conversation now is less about whether he can be useful and more about what the Jets do next, especially with talk that he could still be around in 2027 to help guide the teams future first-round pick. That kind of bridge value matters, even if the bigger answer at quarterback is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]