Good morning, Jets fans! The first day of the NFL's legal tampering period was a whirlwind for the New York Jets, who made significant moves to bolster their defense.
Kicking things off, the Jets traded a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Miami Dolphins for standout safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. They quickly secured Fitzpatrick with a three-year, $40 million extension, setting the tone for a busy day.
The Jets didn’t stop there. They went on a defensive spree, signing safety Dane Belton, edge rushers Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare, defensive tackle David Onyemata, and linebacker Demario Davis.
That’s six new additions to a defense that desperately needed an upgrade. This infusion of talent should provide a much-needed boost at every level of the defense.
However, the offense tells a different story. The Jets didn't make any new signings on that side of the ball and lost guards John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker to other teams.
With pressing needs at quarterback, guard, and wide receiver, there's still a lot of work to be done to shore up the offense. The defense also has gaps at cornerback and pass rushing that need addressing.
On special teams, the kicker position is now open after Nick Folk signed with another team.
While the team is certainly stronger today than it was a week ago, there's still plenty on the to-do list. The coming weeks leading up to the draft will be crucial for the Jets as they continue to shape their roster.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Jets navigate this pivotal offseason.