New York Jets 2026 Preview

August 22 Update and best ball outlook::

(By: Mike Johnson)

• Geno Smith was a perfect 7/7 for 65 yards and a TD in his Jets debut during preseason Week 2. He has shown he can play in good situations before and is going to be surrounded by a lot more talent here than he was in Las Vegas. Solid late-round dart throw QB who is consistently available in the 16th round or later.
• Breece Hall sustained a groin injury that is going to cost him two to three weeks, but by all accounts his status for Week 1 is not in doubt. All signs point to him having a very big workload this season making him a solid target in the 4th round with the injury discount for the next couple of weeks.
• I have come around on Garrett Wilson after being low on him early in the summer. He should be the clear top receiving option for this team with improved QB play. There is more target competition, but the bigger factor for Wilson should be a competent offense and defenses not being able to focus entirely on him.
• Adonai Mitchell and Omar Cooper Jr. are solid late round WR options with clearly different roles. Mitchell is immensely talented and will be a near every-down player as the team’s perimeter and downfield threat. Cooper appears to have won the WR3 role and will play primarily out of the slot.
• First round pick TE Kenyon Sadiq is a name I can’t stop clicking as he consistently falls into the 200’s of Best Ball drafts. A first round talent and one of the most athletic TE prospects to ever enter the league is a great fit for basically any roster construction. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a second half eruption like Colston Loveland did in his rookie season.

WRITTEN BY: HILOW

Coaching/Philosophy/Scheme Changes ::

• Offense: Out is former OC Tanner Engstrand and in comes Frank Reich, giving the Jets one of the bigger offensive scheme changes in the league heading into 2026.
• Defense: HC Aaron Glenn was retained for his second season with the Jets. Former Dolphins passing game coordinator Brian Duker joins the Jets as their new defensive coordinator. Glenn confirmed he will call defensive plays in 2026 after former DC Steve Wilks did so a season ago.

Personnel Changes ::

• The Jets were busy in free agency this offseason, signing EDGE/OLB Joseph Ossai, LB Demario Davis, DT David Onyemata, OG Dylan Parham, DB Kinsley Enagbare, S Dane Belton, WR Tim Patrick, and CB Nahshon Wright.
• Acquired DT T’Vondre Sweat from the Titans in exchange for DE Jermaine Johnson, S Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round pick, and QB Geno Smith from the Raiders for a late-round pick swap.
• Drafted TE Kenyon Sadiq, WR Omar Cooper Jr, and EDGE/OLB David Bailey in the first and CB D’Angelo Ponds in the second. All four should be key starters for the Jets this season. Selected QB Cade Klubnik in the fourth.
• Saw OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG John Simpson, LB Quincey Williams, and K Nick Folk depart in free agency. WR Josh Reynolds and RB Khalil Herbert also failed to re-sign with the Jets.

Schedule ::

• Divisional Games (6)::
• Patriots x 2, Bills x 2, Dolphins x 2
• AFC West (4)::
• Raiders, Broncos, @Chiefs, @Chargers
• NFC North (4)::
• Packers, Vikings, @Lions, @Bears
• Browns, Broncos, @Titans

Bull Case ::

I’m going to be completely honest here – I struggle to find any argument for a bull case with the Jets in 2026. Only the Cardinals and Dolphins are projected for fewer wins (4.5) than the Jets (5.5) after the team registered only three wins a season ago, their answers at quarterback were aging veteran Geno Smith and fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, and much of their efforts this offseason were directed towards the defensive side of the ball. I’ll spend the rest of this team’s exploration expanding on that sentiment.