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To say the New York Jets were miserable in 2025 would be an understatement. The team's prized free-agent QB acquisition got benched after just nine games, its leading receiver finished with 395 yards, and no one on defense secured a single interception. It was close to a rock-bottom season.
Despite all that, Jets general manager Darren Mougey feels great about the state of the team. While speaking at an end-of-year presser Tuesday, Mougey said he feels "more confident today than ever" the Jets are heading in the right direction.
Aaron Glenn — who was not fired after one season on the job — shared that sentiment, saying the team has a "clear vision" moving forward.
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On the one hand, it's tough for the Jets to be much worse. On the other, it's tough to see why Mougey has confidence when looking at the Jets' core.
Wideout Garrett Wilson is coming off a tough season in which he played in just seven games due to injury, but still looks like a future contributor. The rest of the offense could use some help, especially with running back Breece Hall expected to leave in free agency this offseason.
The defense also needs attention, especially following the trade of Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in the middle of the season.
Neither of those issues should come as major surprises, as the Jets ranked 29th in points scored and 31st in points against this season. The team heads into the offseason in need of a complete overhaul.
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The Gardner trade could help them get there. New York acquired multiple first-round picks in exchange for the star cornerback. Because of that, the team holds two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. After going 3-14 this season, the Jets earned the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. The team will also receive the No. 16 pick, thanks to the Colts.
Given the dearth of talent on the team's current roster, the Jets will need to select impact players with both picks if the team wants to turn things around. After the Justin Fields experiment failed in 2025, the Jets could be looking at adding another quarterback with one of those picks.
Mougey didn't commit to that, but said the Jets would "exhaust every option" when considering the position this offseason.
Bringing in a star quarterback would go a long way toward the Jets getting back on track. Though without a solid infrastructure around that quarterback, things could go south quickly.
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The Jets are certainly familiar with that scenario. Should the team select a quarterback with one of those two first-round picks, it will be up to Mougey to help the player avoid that fate.
Finding the right quarterback in the draft wouldn't solve all the team's issues, but it would go a long way toward Mougey's confidence being rewarded.
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