The New York Jets’ offense should certainly improve in 2026.

After all, it would be pretty difficult to take a step back from last season, when they had the second-fewest offensive touchdowns in the NFL (26). Overall, though, there are certainly reasons for cautious optimism regarding the unit this season.

Here are the three main reasons Jets fans should be excited for the offense’s potential this year.

The offensive line is still ascending

Last season, we saw a glimmer of the potential of the Jets’ young, up-and-coming offensive line.

For the first time in his career, Breece Hall was rushing behind a competent line, which allowed him to run for a career-high 1,065 yards.

This year, the line is expected to take another step in the right direction. Four of the team’s five starters remain in place, with Dylan Parham as the only new piece, replacing John Simpson at left guard.

The good news is that Parham certainly has the potential to be a significant upgrade over Simpson. Meanwhile, three of the other five starters are young players with strong draft pedigrees, putting them on track to improve.

If the Jets’ line takes another stride forward, which seems inevitable, it will significantly boost both the passing attack and the ground game.

Geno Smith ups the floor

Last year, the Jets didn’t have a quarterback whom they could trust to push the ball downfield.

Justin Fields was brought in mostly for the value he added in the rushing game, an identity that head coach Aaron Glenn sought to establish early on.

As fans saw firsthand, though, that approach doesn’t work in the NFL. To win games, you need a quarterback who can consistently pass the football.

The question, though, remains which version of Smith the Jets will get. Is it the two-time Pro Bowler with the Seattle Seahawks who was one of the best deep passers in football, or the quarterback who led the league in interceptions last year and steered the Las Vegas Raiders to the league’s worst record?

Ultimately, the truth is likely to fall somewhere in the middle. However, for several reasons, the Jets are the perfect team for him to return to the level of play he flashed in Seattle.

At the very least, he should certainly provide an upgrade over the Jets’ QBs last season and raise the floor of the team’s overall offense.

Pass catching depth

Last year, the Jets’ pass-catching corps was very thin. Behind Garrett Wilson, the team lacked a reliable pass catcher, and it became obvious.

Wilson played in just seven games last season due to a knee injury. However, he still led the Jets in receiving yards with just 396.

Gang Green responded by bolstering their pass-catching room this offseason, selecting tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the first round of the NFL draft.

Beyond that, Mason Taylor also profiles as a candidate to break out with the team in 2026 due to how much Frank Reich has historically utilized tight ends in the red zone, coupled with the contested catch prowess he showed last season.

Jets fans also hope that Geno Smith can return to being a strong deep passer, which could help unlock Adonai Mitchell, who is entering his first full season with the organization and has looked incredible throughout offseason workouts.

Overall, the Jets boast a much stronger group of pass catchers than they did a year ago, and that will help keep them afloat if they have to fight through injuries.