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The good & the bad of the Jets' 2026 NFL offseason roster work
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- The good & the bad of the Jets' 2026 NFL offseason roster work
The New York Jets wrapped up 2026 NFL minicamp and spring practice and aregetting ready for the regular season which begins on September 13 in Tennessee against the Titans . Training camp begins at the end of July .
The offseason reviews for the Jets have been mostly positive. The team focused on adding veteran talent to offset the youth movement and had a terrific draft with three playmakers added in the first round .
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However, it was far from perfect. There are still areas on the team that could use some help and a glaring question mark at a key position after the first few OTA's.
Here are the good moves and the bad moves of the New York Jets offseason so far:
The Good
Breece Hall 's extension
It's fair to assume that no one knew what Hall's future would be in New York after another brutal season. Hall looked a bit defeated and it was clear that he was tired of all the losing. However, he also has a very high opinion of himself and didn't exactly play as an elite running back in the league last year.
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The Jets entertained offers for Hall during last year's trade deadline, but teams failed to meet their asking price. It was then that most analysts believed the Jets wanted to keep Hall and continue having him as a key piece to the team's offense.
GM Darren Mougey did just that, agreeing to a new contract with his star running back that now makes Breece Hall the fourth highest paid running back in the league. With Hall and a returning Garrett Wilson , not to mention first-round picks Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr., the Jets could have a very lethal offense this season under new coordinator Frank Reich.
Hall is not signing this extension if he felt the outlook was bleak for the Jets. It's a win-win for both sides. However, Hall now needs to prove to the Jets they made the right decision in signing him for the next three years.
The Bad
No Veteran Quarterback 2…..for now
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The Jets brought back Geno Smith in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders right before the start of the offseason to be their starting quarterback. Smith seems re-energized about returning to the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft and he will have plenty more to work with on offense than he did last year in Vegas.
However, it's a bit surprising that the Jets have not added some veteran insurance for Geno in the event of injury. They traded up in the fourth round of last April's draft to select Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik , but it's a bit unfair to make him the primary backup on a team that can ill afford another miserable season. Veteran Bailey Zappe is in camp battling for a spot on the team, but he's not considered a realistic option to back up Smith.
There is still time to add a veteran, but the Jets would have probably added one by now if they liked the options available. Free agency is very bare at this point with Cooper Rush the only veteran available. The trade market feels like the best option for the Jets with Will Levis , Tanner McKee and Mason Rudolph potentially available. Either way, GM Darren Mougey should strongly consider adding another veteran quarterback to the room with plenty on the line in 2026.
The Good
Veteran Leadership Added On Defense
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The Jets lacked a true leader, especially on defense, last season. Steve Wilks was a disaster at defensive coordinator and players like Jamien Sherwood & Will McDonald badly underachieved. Garrett Wilson's leadership on offense was sorely missed after only playing nine games due to a season-ending knee injury.
Head coach Aaron Glenn leaned on his past experience with players he coached in Detroit and New Orleans to strengthen a defense that was terrible against the run and did not intercept a pass last year.
Demario Davis is back for his third stint with the Jets. He's still one of the top linebackers in the league, despite being 37 years old, and should really help Sherwood take a major step forward this year. The team also added David Onyemata , who Glenn coached in New Orleans, to the defensive line, traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to anchor a very young secondary and added ascending pass rusher Joseph Ossai from the Cincinnati Bengals .
With Glenn calling plays this year, getting players he is comfortable with and who know his system well was a major priority. Mission accomplished!
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The Bad
Who is the Kicker?
After the year Nick Folk had last season, it felt like a formality that he and the Jets would be together again in 2026. However, the Atlanta Falcons had other plans and signed Folk to a two-year, $9 million contract. $4 million in guaranteed money was a bit too rich for the Jets blood, but the decision not to bring back a fan favorite and automatic points for special teams will be debated all season.
The Jets signed former Browns kicker Cade York as well as former Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo . They released Koo after he struggled during the most recent mini-camp and signed former Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders to compete with York. Sanders missed all of last year with a hip injury and was recently cut by the Giants after they signed Juju Smith-Schuster .
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It's too early to tell who has the advantage in the competition, but it's troublesome that the Jets have brought in multiple kickers so soon into camp. Chris Banjo was terrific with special teams and deserves the benefit of the doubt. However, the debate will only get louder throughout the preseason if neither York or Sanders perform well and the Jets are still looking for a kicker very close to the start of the season.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: The good & the bad of the Jets' 2026 NFL offseason roster work
