The Jets are now responsible for three of the NFL's five worst single-season point differentials of the last five years. Every single position group is in need of an upgrade of some shape or size; this was arguably the worst team in football in 2025.

• 2025: 3-14 (-203 point differential, preseason win total: 5.5)
• Points per game: 17.6 (29th)
• EPA per pass: -0.14 (30th)
• EPA per rush: -0.12 (28th)
• Points per game against: 29.6 (31st)
• EPA per pass against: +0.3 (32nd)
• EPA per rush against: -0.03 (25th)

New York has the league's seventh-most effective cap space along with multiple Round 1 picks to help bolster this roster in an effort to end its 14-year playoff drought—the longest such streak among the four major North American sports leagues. No team is currently spending fewer 2026 dollars at the moment. Simply listing one need … "Everything" … is warranted for this sad excuse for a professional sports franchise, but we'll focus on three instead.

What Do The New York Jets Need To Address In The 2026 Offseason?

Need 1: Quarterback

The Jets threw for just 2,385 yards in 2025—good for the lowest single-season mark since the 2022 Bears, who were also (not-coincidentally) led by Justin Fields. A complete overhaul is needed regardless of whether or not Fields is still on the roster in 2026. 36-year-old veteran Tyrod Taylor is hitting free agency, and 2025 UDFA Brady Cook did nothing in his four starts (4.8 yards per attempt!) to warrant additional future opportunities.

Not so lucky for the Jets: The 2026 NFL Draft boasts only Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza as a sure-fire Round 1 pick, and we know the Raiders edged out the Jets for the top pick. A signal-caller for the Jets will have to come via free agency or a trade.

Need 2: Offensive Playmakers

Please. Garrett Wilson is great and all, but he just led this team with 395 receiving yards in seven games for crying out loud. 2024 second-rounder Adonai Mitchell has flashed during his two-year career and isn't a bad complementary option to roll with; just realize this is one of just five teams with under $20 million 2026 dollars devoted to its wide receiver and tight end rooms at the moment.

Although RB Breece Hall reportedly wanted out of New York prior to the 2025 trade deadline, he remains with the Jets on the non-exclusive franchise tag for this season. A solid RB like Hall will be good for whomever is taking snaps from center for the Jets, who have used back-to-back early first-round picks on the offensive line. Adding the best available playmaker at 16th overall—Makai Lemon? Jordyn Tyson?—would be warranted inside an offense that has scored the NFL's fewest points over the past five seasons.

Need 3: Secondary

"Defense" would also be acceptable here, but improving the Sauce Gardner-less secondary seems most important, particularly with safeties Andre Cisco and Tony Adams hitting free agency. Head coach Aaron Glenn loves to run man coverage, but doing so with the league's seventh-cheapest overall secondary is a recipe for disaster.

Ultimately, the Jets shipped off their two blue-chip defensive talents midseason and just became the first defense in NFL history to not intercept a single pass over an entire season. They also broke the record for fewest takeaways (4) in the Super Bowl era. Otherwise, things are looking great for Gang Green!

Honorable mention

The offensive line should have long-term answers at offensive tackle with Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, but help on the interior is needed with LG John Simpson and RG Alijah Vera-Tucker both hitting free agency. Overall, the Jets have the league's third-fewest 2026 dollars devoted to their offensive line.

If I were GM …

I'd do everything in my power to find a different job. But if that didn't work, I'd refrain from targeting a flawed veteran QB like Kyler Murray and instead focus on simply coming away with the best player available with each of my four top-44 overall picks—even if none of them are at the quarterback position. Reminder: The Jets have compiled three first-round picks in what is perceived to be a loaded 2027 NFL Draft expected to be headlined by potential franchise-changing quarterback prospects like Arch Manning and Julian Sayin, so taking more of a flier approach with someone like Malik Willis could be advised should the organization not fall in love with the top-end 2026 options.