The New York Jets are trying to shake off a brutal 3-14 season and move into training camp with something closer to hope than hindsight. Aaron Glenn’s first year in charge didn’t go the way anyone wanted, and while the organization is looking ahead to a rebound, not every piece on the roster looks like part of that next step.
One name now getting pushed into the conversation is defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report laid out the case on Monday for the Jets to move on from Smith, who is tied to a contract worth about $13 million, according to Over the Cap. New York brought him in from the Dallas Cowboys last year, but the fit never really took hold.
The on-field usage tells the story. Smith appeared in only three games last season and was on the field for just 25% of the defensive snaps when he did play. That’s not the kind of production that locks a player into the long-term plan, especially with camp underway and roster spots starting to matter more by the day.
“The reality is that Smith was never a centerpiece of the Williams trade-which netted New York a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-rounder,” Knox states in the feature.
He adds, “It's hard to envision Smith seeing a legitimate opportunity in 2026, let alone sticking around beyond the season.” If the Jets can find a trade partner, the return could come in the form of draft capital, and Smith may end up getting a fresh start somewhere that fits him better.
In Other News...
Jets Long-Term QB Search Just Took A Fascinating Draft Turn
The Jets long-term quarterback search already feels like the kind of subject that can dominate a front office for years, and one draft projection has only added another layer to it. In a recent Sports Illustrated look at the 2027 quarterback class, Justin Melo laid out a scenario in which four passers could come off the board with the first four selections, a reminder that the position may again shape the top of the draft. For New York, that kind of early forecast keeps the conversation alive around how the team could use its draft capital when the time comes.
Among the names in that discussion is Notre Dames CJ Carr, whose college arc and the broader history of Fighting Irish quarterbacks in the NFL make him an especially interesting case. Carr has already shown enough at the college level to be mentioned in that kind of company, but the path from Notre Dame to sustained pro success has not exactly been smooth. If the Jets are still hunting for a franchise answer when 2027 arrives, a projection like this only underscores how many different directions that search could take. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. Already Has A Training Camp Problem
The Jets spent the offseason remaking their offense, bringing in Geno Smith, Omar Cooper Jr. and Kenyon Sadiq with an eye toward giving the unit more juice and more options. On paper, the receiver depth chart still starts with Garrett Wilson at No. 1 and Adonai Mitchell at No. 2, which left Cooper looking like a natural candidate to settle into the next spot and carve out an early role in camp.
But the competition behind those top two names is already getting more interesting. ESPNs Rich Cimini has noted that Isaiah Williams has been turning heads in training camp and putting himself in the conversation for the WR3 job, making Coopers hold on that role less certain than it looked a few weeks ago. For a rookie trying to establish himself, the next stretch of camp figures to matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Glenn Owns One Jets Decision Fans Wont Forget
Aaron Glenn is set to keep steering the Jets into 2026, and his first season has already produced one of those offseason reflections that says a lot about where a coach thinks things went sideways. A former Jets cornerback who came back with plenty of credibility from his time coaching with the Lions and Saints, Glenn has been around the league long enough to know when a decision needs to be owned.
In looking back at 2025, Glenn pointed to a major defensive choice that did not help the unit perform the way the team needed. The Jets have plenty to sort through as they move forward, and Glenn's willingness to revisit that call gives the next chapter a different feel than a simple run-it-back approach. For a franchise that has spent too long searching for stability, the lesson he took from this season may matter just as much as the record. [Read more 🡒]