After signing a two-year, $40 million deal last offseason, Justin Fields failed to show any sort of promise for the New York Jets in 2025.

It’s precisely why he was benched nine games into the season, and later shipped off to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

While Fields was atrocious last season, it is fair to argue that the Jets didn’t provide him with the pass catchers he needed to succeed.

Behind Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ wide receiver room was completely unestablished entering the season. Given that, the one nightmare scenario was Wilson getting injured.

Ultimately, that nightmare became reality. He played in only seven games, while leading the team with just 396 receiving yards.

Now, the Jets are in a completely different situation: A new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator, a new supporting cast.

Geno Smith won’t have the same excuse Fields’ defenders used.

The Jets have set Geno Smith up in an excellent position for success

This offseason, the Jets have done an excellent job of practically revamping their roster. Between rebuilding one of the league’s worst defenses and adding more offensive firepower, the team’s moves have been largely cohesive.

All of those moves have been made to put the team in the best possible position to make the playoffs—something the organization hasn’t done in a decade and a half.

Smith will play an integral role in the outcome of the Jets’ 2026 campaign, for better or worse.

However, as with most quarterbacks, Smith’s supporting cast will greatly impact his success. The team has done a great job of providing him with a strong supporting cast by adding key players through both free agency and the draft.

First, the offensive line.

This is a unit that flashed immense promise last season. New York started the same five offensive linemen in all 17 games last season, a stark contrast from years prior, including a whopping 13 combinations in 2023.

Four of those five starters will return, giving the group some excellent continuity to build upon. And with up-and-coming young players like Armand Membou, Olu Fashanu, and Joe Tippmann, the group is due for a leap.

Pass catcher, though, is where the biggest upgrade lies.

Smith will enjoy a more talented pass-catching unit than Fields. The Jets became the first team since 1969 to select a wide receiver and a tight end in the first round, selecting Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. With these two players in the fold, the Jets’ passing game has a much higher ceiling.

The Jets still lack reliable veteran pass catchers; they will be counting on Cooper Jr. and Sadiq to produce right away. That is a concern, but the Jets recently addressed it by signing 32-year-old wideout Tim Patrick.

Altogether, Smith has the supporting cast he needs to succeed. For as much criticism as he received for his struggles in Las Vegas, he is the same quarterback who led the Seattle Seahawks to three straight winning seasons from 2022-24. The Jets have given him an opportunity to replicate that production.

What he makes of that opportunity will decide his legacy in New York after a failed first stint with the Jets.