The New York Jets had an eventful offseason rife with changes. Some pundits view it as one of the league’s most productive offseasons, while others have written it off, not ready to believe that anything will change in Florham Park until they see it.
CBS Sports has chosen their side.
In a recent article ranking the top 10 NFL offseasons of 2026, the Jets placed third.
“New York’s offseason essentially began at the NFL trade deadline when the Jets moved young stars Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner. Those moves were made in an effort to provide the organization with the necessary resources to find its quarterback of the future and also surround that player with the talent to win.
“The Jets had gone down the path of drafting a young quarterback but not investing in his supporting cast in the past. They have also signed a veteran quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) and then aggressively pursued players he wanted on the roster. Any quarterback they bring in now will have a quality, young offensive line, as well as wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Omar Cooper Jr., tight ends Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq and running back Breece Hall.
“While orchestrating the initial phase of their offensive plan, the Jets were active in upgrading the floor of the defense. The team traded for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in conjunction with signing veterans David Onyemata, Demario Davis, Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. Defensive moves continued to be made throughout the draft, including top 50 overall selections on edge rusher David Bailey and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds.”
Ranked above the Jets were the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 2) and the Cleveland Browns (No. 1).
The article was correct in highlighting the two biggest focal points of the Jets’ offseason: Upgrading the long-term offensive supporting cast and raising the defensive floor.
The Jets focused on youth and upside offensively, looking to build a weaponry around the quarterback position that can support the young passer they will likely draft in 2027. Defensively, they focused on veteran players who can help the team immediately rise from one of the league’s worst defenses to at least a competent unit.
New York had a sound offseason plan. Everything makes sense on paper. The next step is translating it to the field.
