The New York Jets spent the 2026 offseason aggressively, loading up on talent through trades, free agency, and a pair of early draft picks. On paper, it was a loud, busy spring. In ESPN analyst Seth Walder’s eyes, though, it didn’t add up to a strong one.
Walder handed the Jets a C, and his biggest issue was the kind of veterans they targeted. As he put it, "New York Jets: C.
Move(s) I disliked: Acquiring aging veterans," Walder writes. "If you knew nothing else about the Jets other than their player acquisitions this offseason, you might think this was a team pushing for a title."
That’s the disconnect here. The Jets did add talent, but a chunk of the splashy spending went to players who are already deep into their careers: Minkah Fitzpatrick is 29 years old, Geno Smith is 35, Demario Davis is 37, and David Onyemata is 33. Those are win-now moves, not long-term swings.
Fitzpatrick may still have some runway left, but he’s no longer the All-Pro-level safety he was early in his career. And that’s really the heart of Walder’s critique: the Jets acted like a team trying to squeeze value out of the present, even though the present doesn’t look especially promising.
There’s a version of this where New York is better off taking a step back in 2026, landing a top pick in 2027, and finding its quarterback of the future. Even if everything breaks right this season, the ceiling still looks limited.
At best, Walder sees a team hanging around .500. A playoff run could happen, but it wouldn’t necessarily move the franchise forward.
Not everything drew criticism. Walder didn’t have a problem with the additions of T’Vondre Sweat, Joseph Ossai, and the other younger free-agent and trade pickups. He also approved of the Jets’ draft class, which included David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., and D’Angelo Ponds.
And there were some positives beyond the new arrivals. Breece Hall and Joe Tippmann both got extensions, giving the Jets at least a few moves that point beyond just short-term patchwork.
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For a defensive front that is trying to look more complete, Ossai's role carries real weight. The Jets are counting on him to do more than just chase the quarterback, because the way he handles the edge can also change what everyone around him is asked to do. If he settles in quickly, the rest of the pass rush has a chance to benefit, but if the fit is off, the ripple effects could be felt all over a defense that is being rebuilt with a specific identity in mind. [Read more 🡒]