New York Jets 2026 NFL Season Preview

[Editor's note: The following article is from Athlon Sports' 2026 NFL Preview magazine. Order your issue online today, or grab a copy at newsstands and retail racks nationwide.]

Is this finally the year the New York Jets end their playoff drought?

If they do, it would be a welcome surprise for their long-suffering fans - and a tremendous boost for second-year head coach Aaron Glenn, who is trying to stay off the hot seat after last season's disastrous 3-14 debut.

Saddled with 10 straight losing seasons and 15 consecutive years without a playoff trip - the longest active postseason drought in North American pro sports - the Jets head into 2026 showing some encouraging signs in their seemingly never-ending rebuilding process.

They added culture-changing leaders to their defense (linebacker Demario Davis and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick). They drafted two dynamic first-round playmakers to boost their offense (wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and tight end Kenyon Sadiq).

But they still lack a legit, long-term quarterback solution. They probably will use next year's draft to address that major issue. For now, though, Geno Smith remains hopeful that he can revive his career - right back where he started it as a disappointing second-round pick.

Glenn does not need to make the playoffs this year to keep his job. But he absolutely must put together more respectable showings than the Jets delivered for most of 2025.

Offense

Smith, 35, sure seems like a so-called bridge quarterback. He will play this season on a one-year contract while believing he can rediscover the production he showed in Seattle from 2022-24, before things went sideways last season in Las Vegas.

He was an immature player when he began his NFL career with the Jets from 2013-16. Before the 2015 season, teammate IK Enemkpali punched him in the face over a $600 unpaid debt. Now, 11 years later, Smith brings a lot more maturity and experience.

He has a chance to provide some stability to the Jets' offense, especially since Cooper and Sadiq - two freakish athletes who can be used in multiple ways - will help draw coverage away from No. 1 wide receiver Garrett Wilson. That's something Wilson has desperately sought (and rarely found) through his first four seasons.

Sadiq stands out as a fascinating addition. He can run every route, and he destroys coverages down the seam. A do-it-all tight end who is already powerfully built, Sadiq is a solid blocker and accelerates superbly after the catch. New offensive coordinator Frank Reich will love the versatility he offers.

Still, the Jets need Wilson to be a big-time difference-maker and downfield threat, as he was from 2022-24, before he stumbled through an injury-plagued 2025 season.

In the backfield, Breece Hall continues to give the Jets a versatile tailback whom they can use as a weapon in the passing game. He is a tackle-breaking machine and a three-down player who willingly and capably handles blocking duties.

The Jets used first-round picks in both the 2024 and '25 drafts to shore up their left and right tackle spots with Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, both of whom will provide excellent pass-blocking skills, provided they continue to perform as they did last year.

This second-year Jets regime - Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey - has the pieces in place for a young quarterback, presuming they can land the right guy in next year's draft. In the meantime, they just need Smith to deliver some competitive and competent results in 2026 - or else owner Woody Johnson might get antsy and opt for more changes to his franchise's leadership.

Defense

Probably the biggest change for this side of the ball is the man running the show. Glenn will now call the Jets' defensive plays, replacing coordinator Steve Wilks, whom he fired in December. "To me, play-calling is my superpower," Glenn says. "I really missed doing that, and I think it's a huge part of helping us become the team that I see us becoming."

Glenn thrived as the Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator from 2021-24. It helped that he had excellent pass-rushers. He now has exactly that with the Jets, as this year's No. 2 overall draft pick - David Bailey - will play on the edge opposite Will McDonald IV. They should terrorize quarterbacks. But will they be able to stop the run? That question looms large, considering their size issues.

Glenn and Mougey made a point this offseason of adding valuable veteran leadership to their defense, since the group lacked direction last season.

Davis is considered one of the NFL's best on-field and locker room leaders, so he should provide an immediate boost in that regard, even at 37.

Fitzpatrick, 29, is out to prove he remains a legit disruptor and ball hawk in the back end. With 21 career interceptions, he should give the Jets a critically important coverage asset as they try to rack up more picks. They had exactly zero of them in 2025, so there's nowhere for them to go but up in that department.

In the secondary, Fitzpatrick will be an excellent mentor for cornerback D'Angelo Ponds, a fascinating second-round pick who will start from the get-go. Ponds has a tremendous amount of confidence and tenacity when matching up. Despite being undersized, he uses speed to keep up when in press man-to-man coverage. The Jets love his instincts.

It'll help Ponds that he has a fiery, small former cornerback, Glenn, dictating the mindset and scheme of this determined Jets defense, with its newfound infusion of leadership.

Specialists

The Jets lost kicker Nick Folk to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Will that loom large for an offense that has struggled to score points for years? Cade York, 25, is 16 years younger than Folk and has a much less extensive track record, with only 45 career field-goal attempts.

Punter Austin McNamara returns for Year 2. The Jets will rely on him to control the field position game if Smith and Co. struggle.

Kene Nwangwu (five career kickoff return touchdowns) is a potential game-changer, while Isaiah Williams took two punts to the house last year.

The special teams shined in 2025 - one of the only positives amid another miserable season. The Jets finished third in Pro Football Focus' special teams ratings.

Final analysis

Jets fans are bracing themselves for another long year. And no one can really blame them at this point.

With the Jets not going all-in on a veteran quarterback (like they did with Aaron Rodgers) or taking a big swing at a first-round pick (like Ty Simpson), they'll lean into a short-term fix for the second straight year after enduring Justin Fields' struggles in 2025. But enough of a foundation is in place for the Jets to give their fans a whole lot more this year, though that's a low bar to clear. The Jets embarrassed themselves while closing last season with five straight losses by scores of 34-10, 48-20, 29-6, 42-10 and 35-8.

Glenn cannot afford a repeat of that early in 2026 - or else he won't be around for the next quarterback.

Related: Athlon Sports 2026 NFL Preview Magazine Now Available

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This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 9:27 AM.