The New York Jets’ offensive line is shrouded in optimism entering the 2026 season. Featuring a blend of continuity and ascending young talent, the unit hopes to establish itself as one of the NFL’s best in the upcoming season.

But more important the group’s league-wide ranking might be its placement within the AFC East.

After all, six of the Jets’ 17 games will be against those three teams. If they have the best offensive line in each of those six games, it will significantly increase their odds of pulling off a miracle and winning the division.

So, where does the Jets’ offensive line stand in the AFC East?

Checking in on Jets’ offensive line projections

In a recent article, which directly followed the extension of right guard Joe Tippmann, we projected the performance of the Jets’ offensive line in 2026.

In the analysis, we took the 2025 PFF grades of the Jets’ offensive linemen and projected 10-point improvements for the Jets’ under-24 first-round tackles (Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou), 5-point improvements for their guards (second-round pick Joe Tippmann is entering just his second full season as a starting right guard, while 26-year-old Dylan Parham is stepping into a better situation after playing in Las Vegas), and no improvement for veteran center Josh Myers, who has consistently struggled in his career.

  • LT Olu Fashanu (+10): 69.2 to 79.2
  • LG Dylan Parham (+5): 63.6 to 68.6
  • C Josh Myers (-): 52.9
  • RG Joe Tippmann (+5): 66.0 to 71.0
  • RT Armand Membou (+10): 72.7 to 82.7

With expected growth from their young starters, we projected the Jets’ starting-five offensive linemen to finish with a cumulative Pro Football Focus grade of 70.9. This would have ranked seventh-best among NFL offensive line units in 2025, and better than all three of the Jets’ division rivals.

The Buffalo Bills ranked ninth at 69.9, the New England Patriots ranked 12th at 67.2, and the Miami Dolphins ranked 31st at 58.8.

But could any of those three units improve in 2026 to keep up with the Jets’ trajectory?

The Bills are returning four of their five starters, three of whom are at least 28 years old, and each of whom is at least 26. The only change is the loss of left guard David Edwards, a solid starter (71.4 overall grade), who will be replaced by backup Alec Anderson, a former undrafted free agent with six career starts. Anderson’s career PFF grade of 72.8 suggests he could be a wash compared to Edwards, though.

Overall, the Bills are on track for a similar finish to their No. 9 ranking from a year ago.

The Patriots are also returning four of their five starters, although their returning players have more room for improvement than Buffalo’s. Two of those returning players were 2025 draft picks: first-round left tackle Will Campbell and third-rounder Jared Wilson, who is expected to move from left guard to center.

New England also added former Jets standout Alijah Vera-Tucker, who will step in at left guard to replace center Garrett Bradbury.

If Campbell and Wilson take leaps while Vera-Tucker stays healthy, it’s fair to say that New England’s offensive line should be among the absolute best in the NFL, likely putting it ahead of the Jets’ unit. Those are all question marks, though.

As for Miami, they have an extremely long way to go after their offensive linemen combined for the second-worst grade in the NFL last season. Four of their five starters are back, with the only addition being first-round pick Kadyn Proctor at left guard. The Dolphins’ unit will likely struggle again this year.

The verdict?

As things stand, the Patriots are likely the favorites to field the best offensive line in the division. Whether they live up to that billing depends on the health of Vera-Tucker and the development of their second-year starters, but on paper, they certainly have the division’s highest ceiling.

But the Jets can go toe-to-toe with the Patriots. They arguably have a higher floor thanks to their starters’ collective durability and continuity, while their ceiling is similarly high thanks to their talent at the tackle positions.

Buffalo shouldn’t be ruled out, either, due to their collection of veteran talent.

Three of the AFC East’s four teams should excel in the offensive trenches this season. The Jets are one of those teams. If their coaching staff can help their talented young starters take the largest leaps among the many young starters in this division, their unit could come out on top.