The New York Jets are heading into the 2026 NFL season with plenty of attention on the pieces around their quarterback.
Breece Hall is back in the backfield. Garrett Wilson returns at wide receiver. Geno Smith is now in place after the trade for the quarterback, and the Jets are also bringing in first-round rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. to the mix.
But none of that matters much if the offensive line can’t hold up.
That’s where Pro Football Focus comes in, and the early read on the Jets’ front is more middle-of-the-pack than elite. PFF has New York sitting at No. 21 overall heading into 2026.
The good news for the Jets is that the foundation on the edges is still there. Armand Membou and Olu Fashanu remain the tackles to build around, and the pair gives the team a strong starting point. PFF also points to Dylan Parham as the new face at left guard, but the concern is clear: the interior of the line is where the questions live.
PFF’s breakdown makes that split pretty plain. The site called Fashanu and Membou “one of the best emerging partnerships at offensive tackle,” noting that both are first-round picks from the 2024 and 2025 NFL Drafts.
Fashanu finished strong as a pass blocker, posting PFF pass-blocking grades of 74.7 or better in six of the final eight games. Membou, meanwhile, graded above 70.0 in both pass protection and run blocking.
That’s the encouraging part. The rest of the story comes down to what the Jets get at guard and center. PFF says the unit could still turn into something better in 2026 if the middle of the line gives them even solid play.
In Other News...
Jets Rookie Class Faces One Big Test Much Sooner Than Expected
The Jets rookie class has already become a major talking point before the regular season even gets going, with the teams 2026 draft group drawing early projections and role forecasts across the board. David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., DAngelo Ponds, Darrell Jackson Jr., Cade Klubnik, Anez Cooper and VJ Payne all arrive with different paths to playing time, but the common thread is simple enough: this class is expected to be asked to contribute sooner rather than later.
Preseason observations have only sharpened that expectation, since the Jets are trying to sort out how much each newcomer can handle and where the ceiling really sits once the games count. The early evaluations point to a class with real upside, but also one facing a fast-moving test of development, fit and readiness that will tell the team plenty about how much help it can count on from the draft group in the upcoming season. [Read more 🡒]
Jets QB2 Decision Reveals A Bigger Risk Than Fans Wanted
The Jets backup quarterback plan is already telling you something about how they want to build this roster. Instead of leaning on a veteran with a long track record, theyve opted to keep rookie Cade Klubnik in the QB2 role, a move that points straight toward development over comfort. Its the kind of decision teams make when they believe the upside of growing a young passer outweighs the security blanket of a more established hand.
Theres also a broader league reality baked into it, because reliable backup quarterbacks are hard to find and even harder to keep. The Jets know the risk that comes with asking a rookie to be one snap away from the field, and theyre clearly willing to live with that in the name of roster construction. Whether that gamble looks smart or reckless will depend on what happens if the depth chart is ever tested, which is exactly why the choice feels bigger than a simple QB2 call. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Still Face One Problem That Could Sink Their 2026 Hopes
The Jets came out of the offseason with enough new pieces to make the roster look sturdier on paper, and the optimism starts up front. With returning linemen and backs giving the running game a real foundation, plus additions such as Geno Smith and Minkah Fitzpatrick and a draft class that brought in multiple newcomers, there are reasons to think this group can be more competitive than it was a year ago.
Still, the projection sitting around six wins says the ceiling may not rise much unless the defense finds a way to take the ball away more often. The concern lingers in the secondary, where interceptions remain a problem, and that kind of missed opportunity can flatten even a team that runs the ball well and has upgraded talent in key spots. [Read more 🡒]