When the New York Jets hired head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, one hire received significantly more hype than the other.
Glenn helped build the Detroit Lions’ defense into one of the best in football. He was well respected around the league and had decades of experience as a coach, scout, and player. Mougey, on the other hand, was just as respected but much more of an unknown.
After the first introductory press conference, it felt like the team was more Glenn’s, and Mougey was just along for the ride.
Three weeks into the NFL season, though, the initial read on Mougey may be totally wrong. While he has been far from perfect, his latest stretch of moves shows a level of quiet competency that should make Jets fans feel at least slightly encouraged about their new GM despite the 0-3 start.
Mougey aids Glenn on Jets roster
It is the duty of every general manager to never be satisfied with their current roster. Throughout the entire year, executives must always be on the lookout for players who can help their team win.
Mougey has shown that type of initiative in his first season with the Jets.
In August, the Jets had multiple gaping holes at defensive tackle. The unit was already thin, and the need only became more pressing once Byron Cowart went down with a season-ending injury.
Mougey did not sit on his hands. He went out and made two trades for defensive tackles Jowon Briggs and Harrison Phillips. Through three games, Briggs has been a breakout player for New York, while Phillips has provided his usual steadiness as a run defender.
This carried over into the regular season. The Jets’ secondary has been weak thus far, especially when it comes to tackling and physicality. So, Mougey proceeded to deal a late-round pick swap to nab second-year corner Jarvis Brownlee, known as a strong tackler and tough player.
Not every move has worked, of course. The free agent signing of Brandon Stephens, considered controversial at the time, is quickly becoming Mougey’s worst decision of the offseason. The signing of Andre Cisco isn’t looking fantastic, either.
As concerning as these mistakes are, the Jets shouldn’t be too alarmed just yet. Three games in, Mougey’s first year as New York’s general manager is looking about average for a first-time executive.
Remember, the Jets are coming off a five-win season and made a consistent effort to get younger across the board. While not a full rebuild, New York certainly elected for a “retooling” approach that cut some considerable veteran talent from the roster.
It was never going to be pretty to start this new regime.
But the recent trades for Brownlee, Phillips, and Briggs show that Mougey not only understands the state of his roster, but also has a firm understanding of the balance of salary cap, draft compensation, and positional value across the league.
Brownlee and Briggs are 2024 draft picks with multiple years of team control left. If both play well (Briggs has already done so), then the Jets acquired two quality long-term starters for the minimal price of late-round pick swaps.
Add in almost $61 million in projected salary cap space for the 2026 offseason (fifth in the NFL), and the Jets are going to look a lot different after this first run with Glenn and Mougey.
Many fans want things with Gang Green to be fixed right away. After 14 straight non-playoff seasons, they can’t stand watching their team fall to an 0-3 mark.
But at the end of the day, 2025 was always about building and sustaining a culture of talented players who could grow with a young coaching staff. New York is on the right path in that regard.
And Mougey, as an individual, has shown progress along the way, too.