2024 was going to be the year. Well, the 2023 season was intended to be the year, but the Jets earned a mulligan for that injury-riddled campaign. So instead, the 2024 season was positioned as the year.
In typical Jets fashion, pretty much everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers showed his age and some rust following his missed 2023 campaign. Robert Saleh couldn’t right the ship on offense, and his once-dependable defense struggled to keep teams out of the end zone before his midseason ouster. Many of the team’s big-name additions, including veterans who were once considered final pieces of the championship puzzle, either struggled or got hurt.
Signs of discontent were evident before they were definitively reported, and for yet another time in the franchise’s history, the Jets were seeking a fresh start ahead of the 2025 offseason.
To the organization’s credit, it’s hard to be too critical of any of their offseason moves. And following a five-win campaign in 2024, there’s really only opportunities to improve in 2025. However, the team’s main offseason moves also seemed to limit their ceiling, both now and going forward.
Coaching/Front Office:
The Jets moved on from both of their franchise leaders during the 2024 season, with Robert Saleh earning his walking papers in October and Joe Douglas being canned in November. Interim HC Jeff Ulbrich and interim GM Phil Savage never seemed like true contenders for the full-time gigs, and the Jets confirmed that sentiment when they embarked on an extensive hiring process.
At least 16 candidates interviewed for the head coaching job, with the team extending their search to the college ranks and even to some old friends, including a very public push from old friend Rex Ryan. The team did end up settling on a somewhat familiar face, hiring former first-round cornerback Aaron Glenn to lead their locker room.
Glenn has been coaching in the NFL for more than a decade, most recently as the Lions’ defensive coordinator. Detroit generally didn’t stand out statistically during Glenn’s first three seasons at the helm, ranking 31st, 28th and 23rd defensively between 2021 and 2023. To Glenn’s credit, he managed to guide the Lions to a top-10 defense in 2024, even after Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season-ending injury in Week 5.
With no head coaching experience and low expectations, it seems like Glenn will have a relatively long leash in New York. Outside of Adam Gase, owner Woody Johnson has generally given his head coaches at least three seasons. Since the Jets may soon be facing another rebuild under this new regime, it would only be natural for Glenn to roam the sideline for several years before his seat gets warm.
While the Jets have had some stability at head coach, the same can’t be said of their coordinators. On offense, Glenn was tasked with hiring the team’s fourth OC since 2020. He ultimately landed on Tanner Engstrand, who was snagged from the Lions’ coaching tree. The 43-year-old served as Detroit’s pass-game coordinator since the 2022 campaign, a stretch in which Detroit ranked no worse than eighth in production through the air. While he was once assumed to take over for Ben Johnson in Detroit, the Lions made an external hire, allowing Glenn to swoop in and steal one of his former co-workers.
On defense, Glenn added some major experience in Steve Wilks. The veteran coach became a popular name following a successful stint on the Panthers’ coaching staff, but some unsuccessful runs as head coach and defensive coordinator has led to him bouncing around the NFL over the past decade.
Wilks was fired as 49ers DC following an inconsistent showing in 2023 — albeit one far better than what San Francisco produced in 2024 — and he was out of football last year. Now, he’ll be looking to lead a Jets defense that already features some foundational pieces. The former Arizona and Carolina leader’s ability to get the most out of that unit will have the largest bearing on any Jets’ success in 2025.
In the front office, the Jets turned to former Broncos executive Darren Mougey. A former UDFA wide receiver, Mougey quickly transitioned to the front office and climbed the Broncos hierarchy. He took over as director of player personnel in 2021, and the following year he was promoted to assistant GM.
Similar to Glenn, Mougey will also be leading a staff for the first time. He brings some pedigree having worked under both John Elway and George Paton, and he was around for Denver’s competitive run with Peyton Manning. However, he continued to rise in the ranks as the organization floundered post-Manning, and while the Jets may appreciate the young executive’s scouting prowess (as the Broncos have recovered following a bleak period), it is a bit curious that they dipped into the Denver talent pool to guide their own front office.
Extensions and restructures:
The new Jets leadership didn’t waste any time locking in a pair of franchise cornerstones. Despite some rumblings that Wilson could ask out of New York, the star wideout publicly and then literally committed long-term to the franchise.
The extension was an organizational milestone, as it represented the Jets first extension for a former Day 1 pick ahead of their fourth season in the rookie wage scale era. The former 10th overall pick now sits just inside the top five at his position in average annual value, and when considering his age and production, he’s plenty deserving of that accomplishment.
Despite inconsistent QB play through each of his three NFL seasons, Wilson has still managed to surpass 1,000 receiving yards each year. He also hasn’t missed a game, an important factor for an offense that’s once again trying to find it’s identity. Wilson will now work with former college QB Justin Fields, who has not demonstrated consistent accuracy in the pros, but his performance with an erratic Zach Wilson illustrated immediate promise. The Jets will build around their top wideout, as questions about this position group are warranted beyond Garrett Wilson.
One day after extending Wilson, the Jets extended their top defender, giving Gardner a new contract that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league (although he still trailed Derek Stingley Jr.‘s guarantees by a few million).
Sauce earned high marks for his first two seasons in the NFL. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in both 2022 and 2023 while grading out first and third, respectively, in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. The cornerback struggled a bit in 2024, with his yards-per-target number rising from 6.0 to 9.3. Still, the Jets’ front office is clearly banking on that being a slight blip on the radar, and there’s a good chance he returns to his All-Pro ability while playing under a defensive-minded coach like Glenn.
The cornerback market’s jolt over the past two offseasons has benefited Gardner and Stingley, 2022 top-five picks extended in their first offseasons of eligibility. Going into September 2024, Jaire Alexander‘s $21MM-per-year Packers deal represented the CB ceiling. After Patrick Surtain broke through with a $24MM-AAV accord, Stingley and Gardner bettered the Defensive Player of the Year’s deal after the cap spiked by another $24MM this year.
While the Jets were busy signing those two franchise stalwarts to extensions, they didn’t end up signing some other extension-eligible players. Wilson and Gardner’s 2022 draft mates, first-round linebacker Jermaine Johnson and second-round running back Breece Hall, are still attached to their rookie pacts, while veterans like Alijah Vera-Tucker and Quincy Williams enter the season as impending free agents.
Free agency additions:
- Justin Fields, QB. Two years, $40MM ($30MM guaranteed)
- Brandon Stephens, CB. Three years, $36MM ($22.98MM guaranteed)
- Andre Cisco, S. One year, $10MM ($7.5MM guaranteed)
- Josh Myers, C. One year, $3.5MM ($2MM guaranteed)
- Nick Folk, K. One year, $2.87MM ($1.37MM guaranteed)
- Josh Reynolds, WR. One year, $2.75MM ($2.75MM guaranteed)
- Chukwuma Okorafor, OT. One year, $1.33MM ($757K guaranteed)
The Jets entered the offseason ranked in the middle of the pack in cap space. With anticipated extensions for the likes of Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner and the impending cuts (plus dead cap hits) from Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, the Jets had to take a more conservative approach to free agency. Still, they managed to add a handful of players who should play roles for the 2025 iteration of the team…for better or worse.
Most notably, the Jets turned to free agency to solve their QB opening, as the team inked Fields to a two-year deal. With a $20MM AAV, it’s not like Fields’ contract necessarily broke the bank, but it remains to be seen if the front office will see any return on investment. After all, Fields isn’t far removed from a disappointing showing in Chicago that saw him go 10-28 as a starter while achieving a comparable TD rate (4.2) to interception rate (3.1).
To Fields’ credit, he did look better in Pittsburgh last season, guiding the team to a 4-2 record while connecting on five touchdowns vs. only one interception. Still, that showing didn’t stop the Steelers from pivoting to Russell Wilson when the veteran was ready to return. That decision affected Fields’ interest in re-signing with the Steelers, who had prioritized him over their eventual QB move (Rodgers).
Read more
While Fields is plenty dynamic in the open field, as his 1,000-yard 2022 rushing season showcased, there are still natural question marks about his ability to guide an offense. Based on the contract he received, the Jets also seem to be setting themselves up for the 26-year-old to be a stopgap until they figure out a long-term answer at the position.
Elsewhere on offense, the Jets used their limited financial wiggle room to add some depth. Reynolds comes to New York following a disappointing 2024 campaign where he failed to top 200 offensive yards while splitting time with the Broncos and Jaguars (both teams cut the wideout in the past year). Before that, he was an occasional standout player with the Rams and Lions, and the Jets will be hoping they can get a similar showing out of him in 2025.
The team also added a pair of offensive linemen. Okorafor has gotten into 78 career games, including a stretch from 2020 to 2022 where he started all 33 of his appearances for Pittsburgh. Though, the longtime Steelers right tackle is coming off a season in which he left the Patriots one week into the 2024 season. Myers spent the past three seasons as the Packers starting center. He waged a monthslong competition with Joe Tippmann for the Jets’ job. The team did not reveal a winner before Week 1, with one of the 2024 starters set to be a swingman inside.
While the Jets didn’t take any big free agency swings on the defensive side of the ball, they may have uncovered a pair of starters in their secondary. Stephens comes to New York after spending the first four seasons of his career in Baltimore, where he started 48 games.
Stephens emerged as a starting outside corner in 2023 but took a step back this past year, when he was charged with four touchdowns allowed and a 106.1 passer rating yielded as the closest defender. Baltimore was not believed to be overly interested in re-signing the multiyear starter, who will be expected to work alongside Gardner and Michael Carter in New York. Williams’ ability to play both cornerback and safety should come in handy for a squad that needs some defensive depth.
The Jets also landed on Cisco, who emerged as a full-time starter for the Jaguars over the past few years. Cisco’s best two seasons came in 2022 and 2023, when he started all 30 games he appeared in and racked up 15 passes defensed and seven interceptions. Pro Football Focus also graded him as an above-average safety in each of those campaigns.
Both the counting stats and the advanced metrics indicated he took a step back in 2024, but attached to a one-year deal, the Jets are simply hoping he can soak up some snaps in 2025. Gang Green had made an 11th-hour push for Talanoa Hufanga, but former 49ers All-Pro stuck with his Broncos commitment. Cisco became a lower-cost option.
Finally, to top off their free agency additions, the Jets reunited with old friend Nick Folk. The veteran kicker still ranks second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list following a productive seven-year stint with the organization. He’s since bounced around a bit, spending time with the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Titans. He’s coming off a two-year stint in Tennessee where he paced the NFL with a 96.2 field goal percentage (53 for 55).
Re-signings:
The Jets had a number of departures this offseason, but the new front office still made an effort to retain a handful of impending free agents. The most notable re-signing was Sherwood, who was rewarded for his breakout 2024 campaign with a substantial raise.
A former fifth-round pick, Sherwood mostly served as a backup and special-teamer to begin his career. He was inserted into the starting lineup for the 2024 campaign, following a C.J. Mosley injury, and proceeded to emerge as one of the Jets’ most dependable defenders.
Sherwood finished the campaign with 158 tackles (including a league-leading 98 solo stops), 10 tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 18th-best linebacker among 84 qualifiers.
The Jets didn’t add a whole lot of positional depth this offseason, so Sherwood should continue starting next to Quincy Williams in 2025. Sherwood now earning more than twice what Williams — a 2023 first-team All-Pro — does present a rather interesting dynamic at linebacker.
Otherwise, the Jets re-signed depth pieces on both sides of the ball. Oliver joined the team last offseason and ended up having a significant role in the secondary, starting seven of his 17 appearances while getting into 50 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. He finished the campaign with 57 tackles and three passes defended, with the Jets using him in a variety of different roles (including free safety, wide cornerback, slot cornerback, and even defensive line). He’ll continue serving as a Swiss Army Knife for the Jets in 2025.
On offense, the team held onto Nwangwu, who was limited to only a pair of appearances during his first season in New York. A former All-Rookie Team selection and All-Pro special teamer, Nwangwu will likely see a ST and end-of-the-depth chart role for the Jets next season.
Notable losses:
- Davante Adams, WR (released)
- Chuck Clark, S
- Tyler Conklin, TE
- Malachi Corley, WR (waived)
- Javon Kinlaw, DL
- Jalen Mills, CB
- Thomas Morstead, P (released)
- Morgan Moses, T
- C.J. Mosley, LB (released)
- Haason Reddick, EDGE
- D.J. Reed, CB
- Aaron Rodgers, QB (released)
- Tyron Smith, OT (retired)
- Solomon Thomas, DL
- Jordan Travis, QB (retired)
- Greg Zuerlein, K (released)
Even before the Jets settled on their new general manager and head coach, Rodgers seemed destined to be playing elsewhere in 2025. So, it wasn’t a huge surprise when the organization ripped off the band-aid and ushered in a new offensive era for the franchise.
Rodgers’ addition ahead of the 2023 campaign was about the veteran’s savviness and Super Bowl-winning pedigree. In other words, even the organization was aware that the aging QB was showing some clear signs of decline during his final season in Green Bay. Rodgers’ Achilles injury only exacerbated those concerns, and while expectations were sky high in New York, the forecast for Rodgers was a bit more modest.
Hindsight is 20/20, but it wasn’t too surprising that the 41-year-old quarterback looked like a 41-year-old. The positives: Rodgers surpassed the counting stats from his final Packers season with 3,897 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The negatives: his interception rate (1.9), touchdown rate (4.8), and success rate (43.9) were on-par with his final season in Green Bay vs. the two All-Pro seasons that preceded that fateful 2022 campaign.
Add in Rodgers’ demand for roster influence and his diva tendencies, and it only seemed natural that Rodgers would be cut this offseason. That ended up being the case, and the future Hall of Famer will now look to reboot his career in Pittsburgh.
Naturally, Rodgers’ departure had an influence on the rest of the roster. Adams’ brief Jets tenure ended with a respectable 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. After acquiring the veteran receiver midway through the 2024 season, the Jets released him in March. Adams drew a two-year, $46MM Rams offer after his productive Jets stint.
Smith also had a one-season stay in the Meadowlands, and the oft-injured lineman started the first 10 games for the Jets before suffering a season-ending neck injury. The five-time All-Pro lineman decided to call it a career once the season ended. Conklin and Moses also had significant roles for the 2024 Jets, and the front office watched as the two veterans signed elsewhere this offseason.
Those departures also applied to the defense. Mosley was one of the longest-tenured Jets on the 2024 roster, and it was assumed he’d continue to lead the defense after averaging 159.3 tackles a year between 2021 and 2023. Unfortunately, toe and neck injuries limited him to only four appearances in 2024, and the linebacker ultimately decided to retire.
Mosley wasn’t the only veteran defender who won’t return in 2025. The team said goodbye to cornerback Reed, Kinlaw, Clark and Mills, a grouping that combined for 51 starts last season.
Reed had a steady stint with the Jets, starting all 46 of his appearances while compiling 220 tackles and 32 passes defended. He had long been expected to depart, as the Jets had extended Carter while preparing for a Gardner payday. The Gardner boundary sidekick signed a three-year, $48MM Lions deal.
Kinlaw had 4.5 sacks during his one and only season with the franchise, rejoining Saleh. The former 49ers first-round pick reunited with ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters in Washington this offseason. Clark and Mills had 113 combined stops during their debut seasons with the Jets.
The team even lost some notable depth pieces on that side of the ball, including Reddick, who followed up his 50.5-sack run between 2020 and 2023 with a one-sack showing in 2024. Reddick’s unsuccessful holdout cost him dearly, and the former Super Bowl starter settled for a one-year Buccaneers deal 
following a disastrous Jets stay — one that cost Gang Green a third-round pick for little in return.
The changes even touched special teams. Zuerlein had one of the best seasons of his career with the Jets in 2023, but he converted only nine of his 15 field goal attempts in eight games in 2024. Morstead also had one of the most productive seasons of his career with the Jets in 2023, although his numbers took a step back in 2024.
Rodgers’ departure was always going to have a chain reaction on the rest of the roster, although perhaps we didn’t expect a roster makeover to this extent. The Jets can hang their hat on replacing aging veterans with more youth and athleticism, although that pivot will also reduce the ceiling (and perhaps the floor) for the 2025 version of the team.
Trades:
The Jets weren’t particularly active in the trade market before making a handful of late-August deals to shake up their defensive line depth. The most notable move was trading for Phillips . The veteran transformed from a part-time player in Buffalo into a full-time starter in Minnesota, where he didn’t miss a game after joining the organization ahead of the 2022 season.
Phillips put up modest stats during his stint with the Vikings, averaging 69 tackles and two sacks per season. Pro Football Focus generally ranked him as a below-average interior defender during his Minnesota stint, with the site generally preferring his pass-rush ability to his run-stopping skills. Phillips, 29, is tied to a two-year, $15MM deal.
He’ll provide a consistent (albeit perhaps limited) option for the Jets in the middle of the defensive line. For additional depth, the Jets added Briggs — a 2024 seventh-round pick who got into six games as a backup with the Browns in 2024.
The team wasn’t done, as it also made a move to clear some defensive line depth. After adding longtime Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi this offseason, the team immediately traded him back to Kansas City. For their efforts, the Jets received a swap of conditional sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2027.
Draft:
- Round 1, No. 7: Armand Membou (T, Missouri)
- Round 2, No. 42: Mason Taylor (TE, LSU)
- Round 3, No. 73: Azareye’h Thomas (CB, Florida State)
- Round 4, No. 110: Arian Smith (WR, Georgia)
- Round 4, No. 130 (from Lions through Broncos and Eagles): Malachi Moore (S, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 162 (from Rams through Steelers): Francisco Mauigoa (LB, Miami)
- Round 6, No. 176 (from Ravens): Tyler Baron (DE, Miami)
While the Jets reasonably could have gone in a variety of directions with the seventh overall pick, the front office may have settled on the safest option still on the board in Membou. The prospect is coming off a three-year stint as a starter in the SEC, and scouts generally believe that his athleticism will help him succeed as a professional.
With 2024 first-round pick Olu Fashanu positioned on the other side of the line, the Jets are hoping they found the leaders of their tackle room for years to come. Membou will be ticketed to start in Week 1, which Fashanu did not do to open his career. After using Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses as 2024 stopgaps, the Jets are turning to hopeful long-term blockers to start this season.
The team continued adding to its offense in the second round, snagging Taylor. The 6-foot-5 prospect showed offensive promise in college, averaging 10.1 yards per catch on his 129 receptions. The rookie should have an open path to significant playing time in New York.
Even if he just temporarily serves as a hulking red zone target, the Jets — who had relied on free agent Tyler Conklin at tight end for the better part of the past three seasons — are confident that they can pencil Taylor in atop the depth chart for the foreseeable future.
The rest of the Jets’ draft class should see part-time roles for the organization in 2025. Thomas brings plenty of promise in the secondary and could be the team’s first option if any of the starters are knocked out of the lineup, while fourth-round receiver Smit could work his way into a role after a 2024 campaign where he hauled in 817 yards at Georgia.
Other:
The Jets’ decision to pick up the fifth-year options on Gardner and Wilson preceded the two players’ extensions, but there was another member of the 2022 first round who is still attached to their rookie pact.
Johnson showed flashes as a sophomore, compiling 7.5 sacks and 16 QB hits. He was expected to anchor the defensive line in 2024. A torn Achilles tendon in Week 2, however, ended his season early. That promise from the 2023 campaign was enough for the Jets to pick up the defender’s fifth-year option, but the front office will surely want to see him play in 2025 before they consider a long-term agreement.
Surprisingly, one of Aaron Rodgers‘ friends is still sticking around. Lazard appeared to be an obvious release or trade candidate following a disappointing two-year stint in New York. The team allowed the veteran receiver to seek a trade, but when nothing materialized, both sides had to figure out a resolution.
Ultimately, the Jets kept Lazard on the roster, but the veteran was required to accept an $8.5MM pay cut. Now, he’ll provide some veteran leadership to a depth chart that may be leaning on a handful of younger players in 2025. The Jets do appear shorthanded beyond Wilson at receiver, but the team has avoided a notable investment in a sidekick option for months.
Top 10 cap charges for 2025:
- Quinnen Williams, DT: $21.58MM
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G: $15.31MM
- Sauce Gardner, CB: $9.37MM
- Quincy Williams, LB: $8.42MM
- Justin Fields, QB: $8.00MM
- Garrett Wilson, WR: $7.03MM
- Tyrod Taylor, QB: $6.80MM
- John Simpson, G: $6.69MM
- Armand Membou, OT: $5.80MM
- Jamien Sherwood, LB: $5.00MM
The best-case scenario for the Jets in 2025 is probably a near-winning record. Sure, this is a far cry from their expectations heading into the 2024 season, but it would also represent some reasons for optimism about the new leadership.
Perhaps the true best-case scenario for the Jets is an eventual recognition that they’re not positioned to compete in 2025, allowing them to evaluate younger pieces while pushing for a top QB prospect in next year’s draft. If the Jets do end up being middling (vs. downright bad), it’d be hard to see where the organization is ultimately heading beyond the upcoming season.
