The New York Jets are heading into a rebuild with little outside faith attached to them, and that reality makes one thing especially important: they have to become a team that handles being counted out.
That’s been a problem for a long time. According to data provided by Sports Illustrated, the Jets have the worst record in the NFL as underdogs over the last 10 seasons, winning only 39.53% of the games in which they were expected to lose.
Over that stretch, they’ve gone 51-73-5. For a franchise trying to reset under general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, that kind of track record is hard to ignore.
The 2026 season figures to bring plenty of skepticism, and the Jets will be dealing with it often. They aren’t projected to win many games, and the organization is clearly building with the future in mind, especially with three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Still, there are reasons to think this group might be better than the public gives it credit for. The offensive line is described as extremely talented, and the skill talent around it has a chance to matter.
Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and Omar Cooper Jr. are positioned to form a receiving trio that could make noise. Geno Smith brings experience at quarterback, while Breece Hall gives the offense a runner who can create plays.
The defense also got a significant offseason reset. Veterans David Onyemata, Joseph Ossai, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Demario Davis were added to bring leadership and stability, while younger players such as T’Vondre Sweat, D’Angelo Ponds, and David Bailey are on the rise.
The challenge is simple: when the Jets are installed as underdogs in 2026, they have to start proving people wrong more often than they have over the past decade. That hasn’t happened nearly enough so far.
In Other News...
Breece Hall Just Reignited The Robert Saleh Debate For Jets Fans
Robert Salehs time with the Jets is still the kind of subject that can split a fan base, because his three-plus seasons on the sideline never came close to matching the expectations that came with the job. He finished 20-36 before the organization moved on, and even with plenty of talent around the roster, the results never really caught up to the promise. So when Breece Hall recently weighed in on where things stand now, it naturally pulled that old debate right back into the conversation.
Halls comments pointed to a sense that the franchise feels steadier than it did before, which is exactly the sort of thing Jets fans have been waiting to hear after so many false starts. It also adds a little extra edge to the way this season is framed, because the team is trying to prove that the culture around it has changed for real, not just in theory. For a fan base that has lived through enough resets, the next step is finding out whether that stability actually shows up when the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Receiver Battle Already Took An Early Camp Turn
The Jets second preseason practice offered a first look at how quickly the receiver room can change in camp, even before the pads come on. While the defense drew praise for its speed and energy in non-padded drills, the day also brought some early attrition at wideout, with Gee Scott leaving with a calf injury and the team moving to add another body to the mix.
Quincy Skinner is the latest name to enter that competition, giving New York another young receiver to evaluate after his time at Vanderbilt and a previous stint with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent. For a group trying to sort out roles and stay healthy through the opening stretch of camp, the early churn is a reminder that every practice rep matters and that the depth chart can shift fast. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Just Addressed Interest In A Player Fans Will Instantly Debate
The Jets have already done the thing every team does when a player with baggage hits the market: they checked in. After the Detroit Lions released the cornerback following his surrender on multiple felony charges, New York confirmed it reached out as part of what the club is treating as a basic due-diligence step, not a full-throated pursuit. The situation is complicated enough on its own, with the player maintaining his innocence through his attorney while the legal process moves ahead.
For the Jets, the bigger issue is not just talent evaluation but how far any team wants to go when a players off-field case is still so unsettled. Interest around the league surfaced quickly, with several teams making contact soon after he cleared waivers, and that only adds to the debate for fans who are already weighing football need against everything else attached to the name. New York has at least shown it is looking, but for now the thread remains open. [Read more 🡒]