The New York Jets may have been out of the playoff picture for a while now, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to play-or root-for this season. With postseason hopes long gone, Jets fans have turned their attention to the next best thing: the NFL Draft. And thanks to a key Monday Night Football result, the Jets' draft outlook just got a little more interesting.
Let’s break it down.
Jets Set Up with Two First-Round Picks in 2026
After the Indianapolis Colts fell to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, the Jets’ draft capital became a little more concrete. As it stands heading into Week 17, New York owns two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft-and both are currently slated to land inside the top 20.
The Jets’ own first-rounder is currently sitting at No. 4 overall. That’s prime real estate in any draft, especially with quarterback-needy teams like the Raiders and Browns also projected to pick ahead of them. If either of those teams decides to go QB early, it could shake up the board in a way that directly impacts the Jets’ options.
But the real bonus here is the pick they received from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade. With Indy’s loss to the 49ers, that pick is now projected to be No. 18 overall. That gives the Jets a second shot at a potential impact player in the first round-and depending on how the final two weeks of the season unfold, that pick could climb even higher.
How High Could the Colts' Pick Go?
Right now, the Colts are 8-7, tied with the Detroit Lions. But due to strength of schedule tiebreakers, the Colts' pick comes in lower than Detroit’s. The Colts have a .537 strength of schedule, while the Lions sit at .492-meaning the Lions' pick is the higher of the two.
There’s still a bit of movement possible. Teams like the Buccaneers, Vikings, and Ravens are all sitting at 7-8.
If results break the right way-and if teams like the Cowboys, Falcons, Dolphins, and Chiefs take care of business down the stretch-the Colts’ pick could climb as high as 10th overall. That’s a big jump from 18, and would give the Jets even more leverage come draft day.
What Jets Fans Should Expect
Realistically, the Colts’ pick will likely settle somewhere in the mid-to-late teens. It’s unlikely Indy sneaks into the playoffs at this point, and even if they do win another game or two, the tiebreakers and strength of schedule metrics probably cap their draft position around 14th or 15th overall.
As for the Jets’ own pick, a top-5 selection is almost a lock unless something wild happens in the final two weeks. That gives New York a rare opportunity: two first-round picks, one potentially inside the top 5, and another in the teens. That’s the kind of draft capital that can jumpstart a roster overhaul-or give them the flexibility to move up, down, or even trade for veteran help.
So while the on-field product hasn’t delivered this year, the Jets' front office has a golden opportunity ahead. And if you’re a Jets fan, you're probably watching the scoreboard each week with a different kind of intensity-because every Colts loss is a Jets win in the long-term picture.