The NFL is still weeks away from the start of free agency, and the New York Jets will be one of many teams with money to spend as they look to improve their roster from last season’s poor 3-14 season.
While the defense will almost certainly be the main focus of improvement, the offense may be further along than we first thought. They will certainly add players via free agency, the draft, or trades, but the situation isn’t as bleak as many pessimistic fans or team media would have you believe.
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The elephant in the room every season for the Jets is finding the right quarterback. Last year, the team rolled the dice on Justin Fields and failed miserably. Fields is posting the worst numbers of his career, and the Jets passing offense is averaging 140.3 yards through the air per game, the worst in the league.
It wasn’t entirely his fault, as now-former offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand didn’t always put him in the best position to succeed. Regardless of which side you stand on Engstrand’s firing, it’s fair to argue that he didn’t deserve a second season as offensive coordinator. Former head coach Frank Reich is the new offensive coordinator and will have a lot of work to do on offense next season.
Garrett Wilson is expected to be fully healthy by the time the 2026 season begins. He’s the Jets’ best offensive weapon, and based on previous comments, Reich seems to have big plans for him. The depth behind Wilson has a lot of potential. Adonai Mitchell, acquired in the Sauce Gardner trade, showed flashes of being an impact player with two touchdowns and one 100-yard reception in eight games for the Jets. His speed coupled with the ability to get the ball downfield to a quarterback could draw opposing defenses’ attention away from Wilson and set up great seasons for both players.
John Mechi, who was brought in during the season for Michael Carter II, also showed some promise as he got more opportunities. Mechi did have some drops, but also had some touchdowns and should provide quality depth. Tight end Mason Taylor had 44 catches in his rookie season and could have easily had better numbers if not for a season-ending neck injury.
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If there’s one area that ultimately doesn’t need an overhaul, it’s the offensive line. The Jets return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season. Armand Membou had a solid rookie season at right tackle, while Olu Fashanu also improved at left tackle in his second year. Joe Tippman moved to right guard after Aliyah Vera-Tucker’s season ended and performed very well. Center Josh Myers takes over from Tippmann at guard for AVT and signed him to a two-year contract extension.
The Jets must decide between retaining Vera-Tucker or John Simpson, as both are unrestricted free agents. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, for the first time in a long time, the offensive line isn’t a major liability.
The biggest decision the Jets have to make on offense is at running back, with Blaise Hall an unrestricted free agent and it’s unclear if he has any interest in returning to the team that drafted him. There are multiple reports that the Jets could use the franchise tag or transition tag on Hall, which would give them an idea of ​​what his market looks like and a chance to match any offers he receives.
In my personal opinion, Hall is overrated. Although he had his first career 1,000-yard season last year, it took him a long garbage-time touchdown against the Patriots to break that mark. Hall rushed for less than 75 yards in 10 of 17 games last season, which is extremely disappointing for a player with over 200 catches running behind an above-average offensive line. His attitude was also an issue, with him posting a number of cryptic tweets to gain sympathy from Jets fans and the media.
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If Hall becomes a free agent, the Jets have two running backs on the roster who should have a chance to step into a larger role. Braylon Allen is a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft whose physical running style is impressive at times, but not enough to determine his ability to be the team’s top running back. Allen played in just four games last year due to an ankle injury, but he averaged more than four yards per carry and nearly eight yards per catch. Those numbers over the course of a full season could be as good as Hall’s, but at half the price of Allen, who is still on his rookie deal.
Isaiah Davis was drafted in the same draft as Allen and is a great complementary back. In his two years in New York, he averaged more than 5 yards per carry and nearly 9 yards per catch. He also contributed as a returner on special teams. That doesn’t mean the Jets shouldn’t try to bring Hall back because he’s dangerous in the backfield. But if Hall decides to leave New York, the cupboard won’t necessarily be empty.
At the end of the day, the quarterback is always the glue that keeps the offense going. Without the right player under center, the offense will feel like driving a shoddy used car. It has moments where it runs like a dream, but ends up stalling more than you’d like.
The Jets have been linked to every available quarterback, including Kyler Murray and Kurt Cousins. In a recent Jets Wire article, I recommended Philadelphia Eagles backup Tanner McGee as a potential answer. Other options could be Jacoby Brissett (trade), Tua Tagovailoa (trade) and Marcus Mariota (free agent). The 2026 draft is not an immediate starting option this year, but could be a starter in 2027.
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The Jets have tried many times to find answers but still haven’t found a solution. Whether it’s through the draft, trade or free agency, nothing has worked. It’s a combination of bad coaching and luck. There are plenty of teams around the league that have accomplished more with less talent on offense, largely due to finding the right quarterback to make those players better. The Jets had no choice but to keep grinding until they hit the most important spot on the field.
For all fans of old NBC shows heroThe most popular line that fans remember is “Save the cheerleader, save the world!”. The slogan for the 2026 New York Jets should be “Find the quarterback, save the season!” If they find the right quarterback, they’ll also keep their head coaching job.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Are the New York Jets only quarterback on offense?
