After years of turbulence, the Jets are slated to have a clear flight path this year. Following an extremely disappointing 5-12 season, the franchise overhauled. With former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn stepping in as head coach and Darren Mougey taking the reins as general manager, the Jets are aiming to end their 14-year playoff drought – the longest current streak in the NFL.
A New Era in the Locker Room
The impending departure of Aaron Rodgers finally closed the chapter on a high-profile, yet extremely underwhelming chapter for the Jets. The team has opted to move on after 2 years marred by injuries, locker room drama and bad coaching and management decisions.
Enter Justin Fields. After having a career year in Pittsburgh, where he rejuvenated his career. The 26 year old quarterback brings a different, youthful culture into the locker room. His team-first mentality can turn the locker room around and his closeness to other Jets makes a transition easier. A prime example is Garrett Wilson, who was already a huge advocate for Fields as he played with him at Ohio State. This new team chemistry and culture can hopefully usher in a new era.
Building with Youth
The Jets main focus this season should be their youthful core alongside a underrated draft class. For the core, exercising fifth-year options on Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson shows that they want to secure and hold down young talent. Alongside those three, dynamic running back Breece Hall and last years first round pick Olu Fashanu shows immediate potential to boom. This young core could fuel an under-the-radar run in the AFC.
Alongside this core they added some sneaky additions in the draft. Armand Membou has immediate starter written all over his tape, Mason Taylor adds some serious stability to a shaky tight end room and one of my favourite steals of the class, Malachi Moore can become the next Brian Branch for Aaron Glenn. These additions addressed needs the Jets had while also bolstering other position groups and give them a chance to make a push.
Strength of Schedule
Another reason I can see the Jets having a good run in the AFC is their strength of schedule. Currently ranked at #16 among all NFL teams, I can see the Jets winning atleast 9 games. They play only 5 2024-25 playoff teams which aids them. One of those teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is going through a transitional phase and the Jets could easily pick up a win over them.
While Vegas has the Jets wins line at 5.5, I whole heartedly believe they can easily win 9 games, and in a division where there’s only one clear top dog, a playoff push isn’t entirely off the books.
Offensive and Defensive Stability
For the entire Rodgers regime, offensive stability was always a question. A rotating door of quarterbacks, receivers and coordinators did not help young playmakers develop and grow. Hopefully this can change with new OC Tanner Engstrand. The 42 year old who served on the Lions as the passing game coordinator, will bring a new look offense to the Big Apple, focusing on a balanced attack that specializes in a 1-2 run punch. The passing attack will get a revamp and many young receivers like Malachi Corley and Arian Smith could see increased roles.
The Jets defense has always been extremely solid, and now it is poised to get better. Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams remains the core player while a strong D Line and Secondary offer a comfortable blanket to work under. While the LB room has some question marks around them, Glenn is no stranger to working with scraps and will very likely make the Jets a defensive juggernaut.
Conclusion: Is it Time to Fasten Our Seatbelts?
Since 2022 I’ve been told to watch out for the Jets. Now I finally believe they can “take off”. A revamped leadership team, a young core and a renewed focus on cohesion and development offer key pieces in place for a huge turnaround.
While there are still challenges to overcome, the early signs point to a positive era with a more unified and strategically sound organization. If the Jets can capitalize on a strong offseason, the playoff drought may finally end, and they can soar.
