Darren Mougey

Jets GM Darren Mougey Has Scouted QBs Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore In Person; Latest On Team’s 2026 QB Plans

November 30th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Rory Parks

If the season ended today, the 2-9 Jets would hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft. Even if they do not end up with that pick – and it is certainly feasible they lose enough games down the stretch to find themselves even higher on the draft board – they should be in prime position to select one of next year’s top quarterback prospects.

To that end, GM Darren Mougey has scouted Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore in person, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes. Unfortunately for Mougey, the 2026 class of signal-callers, once viewed as a promising one, has seen its stock drop over the course of the 2025 season.

Mendoza has been among the most impressive collegiate QBs and is viewed by many as the top prospect likely to declare for the 2026 draft. Although the game that Mougey attended featured Mendoza leading a dramatic, game-winning drive against Penn State, opinions are split on his ceiling at the NFL level. Moore, meanwhile, is only 20 and could benefit from another year of development in the college ranks.

If players like Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas’ Arch Manning decide to stay in school for one more season, that will strengthen a 2027 class that is already set to include Florida’s DJ Lagway and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. We had heard one of the reasons Mougey was willing to accept a 2027 first-round pick from the Cowboys in this month’s Quinnen Williams trade was because of his belief that the ‘27 draft class offers more promise than its ‘26 counterpart. So, while the first-year GM is obviously doing his due diligence, he may wait another year to make a high-end draft investment in a QB (though Cimini says in a separate piece that there is “growing buzz” in league circles connecting Mendoza to the Jets).

Whether it is Mendoza or someone else, Cimini thinks the Jets will add a rookie QB in the 2026 draft, and he also believes Mougey will acquire a veteran passer. Despite the fact that Justin Fields’ 2026 salary includes $10MM in guaranteed money, Cimini indicates Mougey will likely release the recently-demoted signal-caller – which jibes with previous reports on the matter – and will not try to re-sign his replacement, Tyrod Taylor.

As per usual, the 2026 crop of free agents offers little by way of starting-caliber quarterbacks, and the one that does qualify as such, Daniel Jones, may not make it to free agency. Mougey could therefore look to the trade market to acquire a bridge passer, and Cimini names Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, and Kirk Cousins as potential targets (Murray and Jones, at least, could also be in the Vikings’ crosshairs).

UDFA rookie Brady Cook has spent most of the year on the Jets’ practice squad, though he has been elevated on several occasions to operate as a backup (he has not, however, seen any regular season game action). In response to a question about whether Cook would get into a game in 2025, head coach Aaron Glenn conceded it was a possibility, but he offered no guarantees.

Jets’ Benching Of QB Justin Fields Seen As Permanent

November 20th, 2025 at 9:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets’ benching of Justin Fields is “not expected to be temporary,” per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. Barring injury, Tyrod Taylor is slated to start for the rest of the 2025 season, and Fields is likely to leave New York this offseason.

The Jets believe it will be easier to evaluate their young pass-catchers – particularly rookie tight end Mason Taylor and wideouts John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell – with Tyrod Taylor under center. The 36-year-old quarterback is more willing to play within the structure of the offense as opposed to Fields, who is more liable to hold onto the ball, throw a check down to a running back, or take off on a scramble. Though Taylor has three interceptions in 69 attempts compared to Fields’ one in 204 attempts, the Jets are willing to weather the risk of interception in exchange for more opportunities for their skill players.

The team is also planning to find a new quarterback this offseason, whether it be a rookie draft pick or another veteran acquisition. The draft from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades has given New York enough draft capital to land nearly any available passer in the offseason.

The Jets are also expected to part ways with Fields after the 2025 season concludes. $10MM of his $20MM salary in 2026 is guaranteed; between that and his poor performance, he is unlikely to draw trade interest and will likely be released as a post-June 1 cut. That would save $10MM against the Jets’ 2026 salary cap with a $13MM dead cap charge with another $9MM of dead money in 2027. However, the team has more than $70MM of dead money to account for next year, per OverTheCap, including $35MM from Aaron Rodgers, $11MM from Gardner, and $9.8MM from Williams. The Jets may prefer to push as much dead cap from Fields’ deal into 2027.

They could do so by converting his remaining guaranteed salary into a signing bonus and prorating it across the remainder of his contract. The Jets’ 2026 savings would stay at $10MM, but only $5MM of Fields’ dead money would hit with the remaining $17MM being pushed to 2027. Fields’ deal already has four void years built in, suggesting that the team wanted to have this contract option in case 2025 went poorly, which it did.

The first three void years were used to prorate his signing bonus, while the fourth was left empty in case of a 2026 restructure. Adding a void year to a contract, even for purposes of a restructure, requires player consent, which Fields may not give. Instead, general manager Darren Mougey designed his deal to ensure that the Jets had more flexibility after the 2025 season.

It almost feels like Mougey and new head coach Aaron Glenn saw 2025 as a reset year in New York. They took a chance on Fields without too hefty of a commitment; once it became clear that he was not the Jets’ long-term quarterback, they pivoted to blow up the core of their roster. Now, they have enough draft capital to acquire a quarterback and the opportunity to complete rebuild the Jets from the ground up.

Latest On Sauce Gardner Trade; Jets HC Aaron Glenn’s Job Is Safe

November 9th, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets’ deadline trade sending cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts in exchange for a 2026 first-rounder, a 2027 first-rounder, and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell caught many by surprise. However, the foundation for those types of deals is typically laid well in advance of the agreement itself. That is exactly what happened here, as multiple reporters, including Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required), detail that the framework of the Gardner deal – and the other swaps New York made – began to take shape in Week 4.

At that time, GM Darren Mougey and his staff began to hold weekly meetings to discuss, among other things, the trade value of each player on the roster. The idea was to avoid recency bias as the November 4 deadline approached and other clubs began making trade offers.

So, although ESPN’s Rich Cimini says the Jets never intended to move Gardner – whom they signed to a four-year, $120.4MM contract extension in July – they did establish what it would take to consider trading him if an offer came in. Per Cimini and Albert Breer of SI.com, that price was indeed two first-rounders and a quality player.

After the Colts’ Week 6 victory over the Cardinals improved their record to 5-1, Breer says Indianapolis’ assistant GM, Ed Dodds, placed calls around the league seeking CB help (Charvarius Ward suffered a concussion prior to the Arizona contest and landed on injured reserve as a result, and rookie Justin Walley sustained a season-ending ACL tear in August). Dodds’ efforts led him to Mougey, who indicated he would listen to offers on anyone on the roster, even if he was not actively looking to trade certain players.

Mougey and Colts GM Chris Ballard then discussed the possibility of a Gardner trade. While Cimini says Ballard initially balked at the asking price, Mougey himself noted Indianapolis’ offers “kept getting richer and richer.” The Colts inquired on the Giants’ Deonte Banks (per Cimini) and the Saints’ Alontae Taylor (as previously reported), but Gardner is on an entirely different tier.

As Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon put it during a conversation with Ballard on the eve of the deadline, “[d]o you want to Band-Aid [the cornerback position] or fix it for the long-term?” (via Breer). When Ballard explained how valuable Gardner could be, particularly considering the importance of CBs in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme, Irsay-Gordon agreed the long-term fix was the right choice.

According to Cimini, the Jets were emphatic about including Mitchell in the trade. Breer adds Indianapolis grew increasingly amenable to moving the 2024 second-rounder, who had become an afterthought in the team’s offense. With the Jets high on Mitchell and the Colts prepared to move on, all of the pieces for the Gardner trade were in place.

Of course, Gardner was not the only elite defender Mougey jettisoned at the deadline. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was sent to the Cowboys in a swap that netted the Jets DT Mazi Smith, a 2026 second-rounder, and the higher of Dallas’ two 2027 first-rounders. Per Breer, Mougey knew the Cowboys would not give back everything they had gotten in the offseason Micah Parsons trade, which is one of the reasons why the GM began to consider a first-rounder in 2027 instead of 2026. The other reason is that he and his staff believe the ‘27 draft class offers more promise than the ‘26 crop. Now, thanks to the Gardner and Williams deals, the Jets have three first-round selections (including their own) in a year they consider to be rife with quality prospects.

Both Brian Costello of the New York Post and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network write that head coach Aaron Glenn was heavily involved in the trade discussions, which bolsters Rapoport’s report that Glenn will not be a one-and-done coach. Owner Woody Johnson recently called Glenn “the real deal,” and sources tell Rapoport that Glenn will not be judged by the Jets’ 2025 record and will be given a chance to guide the club through its rebuild.

Johnson has a history of being something of a meddlesome owner, but Cimini suggests that was not the case at this year’s deadline. Instead, when his first-year GM and HC told him of the plan to trade Gardner mere months after authorizing a lucrative extension for him, Johnson simply reaffirmed his faith in his top power brokers.

Jets’ Trade Deadline Aftermath

November 4th, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Ely Allen

The two biggest moves of today’s trade deadline saw the Jets send away two former top-four overall picks in defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner. Many are billing the moves as a teardown of the roster en route to a rebuild, and first-year general manager Darren Mougey has put his team in as good a position as possible to stage an epic rebuild.

Trading Williams and Gardner was not necessarily part of the plan, but according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets were given “offers they could not refuse.” A crucial part of one of today’s trades actually occurred back 112 days ago, when Gardner signed his four-year, $120.4MM extension. Mougey told the media of the strategies that made his trade possible.

“We had a lot of discussions going through that contract process and some of the details we had to have in that contract because you never know how the future is going to unfold,” Mougey said (via Costello). “We always wanted to be in position to potentially trade these contracts.”

The deals took a lot of talent away from a team that has struggled mightily in 2025, even with those stars, but they also brought incredible potential for team improvement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport credited Mougey for his willingness to hold out throughout the leadup to the trade deadline. As offers continued to pour in with increasing intensity of interest, Mougey held firm, showing teams that he wouldn’t give up his top-tier assets unless serious offers were made. Mougey told reporters that as “Indianapolis kept getting richer and richer” with the value of their offer, it became too good to pass up.

Altogether, the new draft picks acquired in the trades give New York five first-round picks over the next two years — two in 2026 and three in 2027 — and three second-round picks, not to mention the supplemental additions of former first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith and former second-round receiver Adonai Mitchell. Additionally, Costello reports that, in exchange for taking on $43MM in dead money this season for the trade, “the Jets are projected to have about $117MM in salary cap space” to utilize in free agency.

They didn’t trade away everyone, though. Obviously, they made it clear wide receiver Garrett Wilson wasn’t going anywhere, but the team tried and failed to find new homes for outside linebacker Jermaine Johnson, running back Breece Hall, and linebacker Quincy Williams before the deadline. Some of the issues keeping these trades from happening came down to Mougey’s demand for value.

Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reports that the Bears and 49ers made serious attempts to acquire Johnson, but both teams pivoted as New York stood pat on their second-round demand. Fellow FOX Sports reporter Ralph Vacchiano claimed little surprise that the Jets kept Johnson over the second-round offers that reportedly did come their way, pointing to the team having already exercised his fifth-year option as evidence that they were less willing to let him go.

Another factor restricting the options available to deal the remaining players came down to competition. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, other “AFC East teams reached out to the Jets about potential deals, but New York was reluctant to trade with division rivals.”

Costello points out that, at this point in time, the oldest draft picks remaining on the Jets’ roster hail from the 2021 draft class and only long snapper Thomas Hennessy, the longest-tenured player on the team, dates back before that. The team is full of youth, and Mougey has set up multiple strong avenues with which he can continue to build around the remaining talent. All that’s left to see is whether or not Mougey can do a better job of building a team than his predecessors who put him in this position.

Jets Notes: Youth, UDFAs, Front Office

June 2nd, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Thanks in part to Aaron Rodgers and his say on acquisitions, the Jets had no choice but to lean on their veterans in 2024. With Aaron Glenn now controlling the show (and Rodgers no longer on the roster), the team is hoping to be a bit more reliant on their youth in 2025 and beyond.

As ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes, the Jets entered last season with 12 players aged 30 or older. At the moment, the team only has five such players: quarterback Tyrod Taylor (36), long-snapper Thomas Hennessy (31), wide receiver Allen Lazard (30), wide receiver Josh Reynolds (30), and guard Zack Bailey (30). After finishing last season with the NFL’s eighth-oldest roster, Cimini writes that the Jets are currently armed with the league’s fourth-youngest squad.

The team’s approach is somewhat by design, and Glenn said he won’t be afraid to use his inexperienced players in 2025.

“Listen, do we want younger players? Absolutely. It’s a young man’s game,” Glenn told Cimini. “It’s a young man’s game, but we want players that can help us win. So if those players happen to be 30 years old, we get those players. It just so happened that we got younger while we got players that could help us win.”

More notes out of New York…

In that same article, Cimini notes that the Jets front office was especially aggressive in the UDFA pool this offseason. While a $200K guarantee is considered a significant payday for undrafted players, Cimini observes that the Jets gave out that kind of money to three rooks: guard Leander Wiegand ($249K), defensive tackle Payton Page ($201K), and edge rusher Ja’Markis Weston ($200K).
While Darren Mougey is just about done with his first offseason as Jets GM, the executive continues to add to his staff. According to insider Neil Stratton, the Jets have hired TJ McCreight in an unspecified executive role. McCreight brings more than 25 years of NFL experience in stops with the Colts, Ravens, Eagles, and Cardinals. Per ESPN’s Seth Walder, the Jets also hired former NFL consultant Sean Clement into a director-level analytics role. The organization is also promoting from within, as Stratton notes that former player personnel assistant Thomas Witty has been promoted to a pro scout role.
We heard recently that the Jets started engaging in contract talks with wideout Garrett Wilson. Our own Nikhil Mehta explored Wilson’s extension candidacy yesterday.

Aaron Rodgers Still Considering Retirement; QB Remains In Contact With Steelers

April 17th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the 2025 offseason, Aaron Rodgers‘ future has loomed as a talking point. The future Hall of Famer remains unsigned one week before the draft, and nothing is imminent with respect to where (if at all) he will play in 2025.

Rodgers has remained quiet since the end of last season, but on Thursday he made his latest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. The 41-year-old touched on a number of subjects, including repeated references to the fact he has several ongoing commitments in his personal life. In large part as a result of that, no firm decision has been made with respect to signing with an interested team or hanging up his cleats.

“I am trying to be open to everything and not specifically attached to anything when it comes to this decision,” Rodgers said (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). “I’m not holding anybody hostage… I’m just going through a lot in my personal life that has to take precedent at this point.”

Rodgers said his face-to-face meeting with new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey did not go as he envisioned. It was then that he learned of the team’s decision to move on, by means of a conversation which ended very quickly and which Rodgers added was lacking in respect. New York ultimately released him with a post-June 1 designation, but before that move officially took place he has been free to speak with potential employers.

On that note, Rodgers confirmed he has had conversations with the Giants, Vikings and Steelers about a potential deal. He noted a willingness to play for $10MM in 2025, adding he is not insistent on receiving a multi-year deal to continue his career. Considering the current market for quarterbacks, a one-year commitment in that price range would certainly be feasible for any number of suitors. Several dominoes have already fallen amongst signal-callers, however, and more vacancies will be filled during the draft. Despite what Rodgers termed positive conversations with the likes of Brian Daboll, Kevin O’Connell and Mike Tomlin, therefore, nothing is certain regarding an agreement being worked out.

The Giants have added Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and they could add a long-term option in the form of a rookie next week. The Vikings – reported last month to be Rodgers’ preferred landing spot – could stand to bring in a veteran as J.J. McCarthy insurance, but Minnesota has remained publicly comfortable with handing the reins to last year’s No. 10 pick. That leaves the Steelers as a logical landing spot, especially given owner Art Rooney II‘s comments about signs pointing in the direction of a deal.

Pittsburgh could stand to add under center, and Tomlin remains in contact with Rodgers (as the latter confirmed today). The team has not imposed a deadline for a decision, but with the draft approaching the Steelers’ Day 1 plans in particular could depend on which direction Rodgers leans. After making an offer early in free agency, Pittsburgh’s proposal is not believed to have shifted. To little surprise given his other comments, though, Rodgers said the draft will not alter his approach with respect to his playing future.

In other words, the Steelers could add a developmental option as early as the first round next week while still remaining open to a Rodgers signing. The four-time MVP added he is OK with teams moving forward with alternate plans under center, particularly as it pertains to bringing in a rookie. Presumably, a shrinking market for his services would have an impact on his willingness to suit up in 2025, though. To that end, CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala reported on a recent 93.7 The Fan appearance that Rodgers would rather retire than join a team which is not a Super Bowl contender.

Evaluating the candidacy of teams for a dee postseason run in 2025 will of course be easier after the draft takes place, but it does not appear as though any movement on the Rodgers front will be seen by that point. With retirement still on the table, the wait for further developments will continue.

AFC East Notes: Campbell, Milton, Jets, Bills

April 16th, 2025 at 11:31am CST by Sam Robinson

Likely holding the right of first refusal with this draft’s tackle class, the Patriots continue to be tied to LSU’s Will Campbell. Pats-Campbell connections have persisted for an extended stretch, as the team’s free agency activity brought in many high-profile options but did not produce a left tackle addition. While Morgan Moses is coming into play right tackle, a rookie is likely to join him. As of now, Campbell appears the frontrunner. The Patriots are believed to prefer Campbell at No. 4, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. Although Pauline adds considerable in-house support for Missouri’s Armand Membou exists, he may need to wait a bit longer to hear his name called. The Pats have been high on Campbell for a while, as arm-length concerns appear to have been overblown, and Mike Vrabel pointed to the draft as a good way the team can address its LT issue. Vrabel added (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) he believes LT starters are in this draft.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

The Pats unloaded popular reserve QB Joe Milton in a trade, dealing him to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. This represented a net gain for New England, which drafted Milton in last year’s sixth round. Vrabel pointed to a lack of reps being available behind Drake Maye and UFA pickup Josh Dobbs as the main reason for Milton’s early exit. “Well, we felt like that his reps were going to be decreased as we worked through the offseason,” Vrabel said (via Kyed). “And we felt like just like every other decision, we’re going to try to do what’s best for the team, and that’s the decision that we ultimately made. And so, excited to move forward with Drake and Josh.” Three years remain on Milton’s rookie contract.
The Jets signed Josh Reynolds and worked out a pay-cut agreement with Allen Lazard. This makes the team unlikely to also add one of the 30-something wide receivers still in free agency, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and Tyler Lockett remain unsigned. The trio may need to wait until the post-draft deadline pertaining to the 2026 compensatory formula to find homes, as the draft will also provide clarity regarding teams’ receiver needs.
Staying with the Jets, Cimini noted in a previous piece Rick Spielman‘s presence in the team’s GM hiring process, one that ended with Darren Mougey landing the job, did not sit well with some of the candidates who interviewed. Although Mougey had not previously worked with Spielman, Mougey’s former boss — Broncos GM George Paton — was Spielman’s assistant GM in Minnesota. Paton gave Mougey a strong endorsement to ex-boss, according to Cimini, and some who lost out on the job connected the dots. Familiarity often leads to hirings at the executive or coaching level, though it is interesting Spielman — who had been out of the NFL until the Jets added him to lead the HC/GM hiring process — is staying on to help Mougey in a full-time role. It is worth wondering if all the candidates interviewed would have kept Spielman on.
Holding 10 picks, the Bills profile as a team who could move up in the draft. One scout informed ESPN.com’s Matt Miller a Buffalo move up for an impact first-round defender is a scenario to monitor. Cornerback represents a spot to follow regarding the Bills’ first-round pick, ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds. Buffalo has not re-signed Rasul Douglas, and Dane Jackson does not profile as a surefire starter opposite the recently extended Christian Benford.
The Bills used a “30” visit on Texas A&M defensive end Nic Scourton, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Our Ely Allen profiled Scourton recently, and a few teams have met with the ex-Aggies regular. The Bills added Michael Hoecht and Joey Bosa in free agency and still roster A.J. Epenesa; Bosa and Epenesa, however, are on expiring contracts.

Extensions For Jets’ 2022 First-Rounders Not Imminent; Team Unlikely To Explore Early Extension For RB Breece Hall

March 16th, 2025 at 8:11am CST by Rory Parks

There are myriad reasons why the Jets have failed to post an above-.500 record since 2015, but the top of their 2022 draft class is not one of them. CB Sauce Gardner (No. 4 overall pick in 2022), WR Garrett Wilson (No. 10), and DE Jermaine Johnson (No. 26) form a talented young foundation that could help lead the club back to playoff contention, and that trio is now extension-eligible for the first time.

Gardner, 24, took a step back last year after earning First Team All-Pro acclaim in each of his first two pro seasons. Still, a player who possesses his youth and talent and who plays a premium position can command a massive second contract, and the Cincinnati product has made clear his desire to sign such a contract with the Jets.

“I want to be part of this for a long time,“ Gardner said back in January. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.“

Wilson, also 24, seemed a bit more reticent about his future with New York, at least partially because of perceived tension with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and competition for targets with 2024 deadline acquisition Davante Adams. However, with the club having released both of the former Packers standouts, it is believed Wilson is more amenable to a long-term relationship with Gang Green (which could be especially true now that he has been reunited with college teammate Justin Fields; ESPN’s Rich Cimini details the close relationship the former Buckeyes enjoy).

Johnson, 26, was limited to just two games in 2024 due to an Achilles tear, though he totaled 7.5 sacks, 25 pressures, and a forced fumble in 2023, his first season as a full-time starter. The Jets are expected to exercise his fifth-year option for 2026, and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms that the team plans to exercise the option for all three of its 2022 first-rounders (picking up the Gardner and Wilson options is a particularly easy call for new GM Darren Mougey to make).

Naturally, the players themselves want to land lucrative extensions sooner rather than later, while the Jets may not feel as pressured since they can keep all three under club control through 2026 via the fifth-year option and can put the franchise tag on one of them for the 2027 season. On the other hand, as Connor Hughes of SNY.tv observes, locking up a player when they are first eligible sends a positive message to the player and the team as a whole, and it can get a second contract out of the way before markets for certain positions soar even higher.

Hughes believes Mougey is more amenable than his predecessor, Joe Douglas, to entertain an early extension. Douglas was not necessarily adverse to the idea; in order for him to green-light such a deal, though, he wanted certain concessions from the player (lower guarantees, longer contract term, etc.). Mougey may not be as demanding in that regard.

That could spell good news for the Gardner/Wilson/Johnson triumvirate. But Hughes – in a piece that was published before free agency got underway – said no extensions are imminent.

At this year’s scouting combine, in response to a question about whether he would sign off on extensions for Gardner and Wilson, Mougey said, “[t]he to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players, so yeah” (via Cimini).

Cimini observes that Mougey did not set a concrete date for talks to commence, and he also points out that cornerbacks and wide receivers have not generally received new deals prior to their fourth NFL season. That said, recent contracts authorized for players like Patrick Surtain II, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith could indicate the league is changing its modus operandi.

According to Hughes, the negotiations for Gardner are expected to be straightforward. Despite not earning any Pro Bowl or All-Pro accolades for his 2024 work, there is no doubt he will reset the CB market. Wilson will be trickier, because although he is a terrific player, it could be difficult to pinpoint exactly where he falls in the league’s WR hierarchy (and of course he could value himself differently than the Jets do).

None of the writers cited above mention Johnson’s name in connection with an extension in the near future. His Achilles injury certainly muddies the waters a bit, and player and team may prefer to wait to see how he rebounds before engaging in substantive contract talks.

Similarly, Rosenblatt says it is unlikely the Jets pursue an early extension for running back Breece Hall (who, as a 2022 second-rounder, is is not subject to a fifth-year option and is therefore eligible for free agency in 2026). Hall was electric in his rookie season, turning 80 carries into 463 yards (5.8 YPC) and four rushing TDs. ACL and meniscus tears ended that promising showing early, and while he rebounded to play a full 17-game slate in 2023, he was not quite as explosive (though his 4.5 YPC average was still strong).

His efficiency dipped again in 2024, as he posted a 4.2 YPC rate over 209 carries. He continues to be a valuable receiving weapon, as he has notched 133 receptions for 1,074 yards and seven receiving scores over the past two seasons, but the dynamo that took the league by (an admittedly brief) storm in 2022 has not resurfaced.

Two 2024 draftees, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, are under contract through 2027 and could represent the Jets’ long-term future at the RB position.

Jets Looking To Pair Rookie QB With Veteran QB?

February 10th, 2025 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

The Aaron Rodgers era in New York has come to an unofficial end, and the Jets’ new leadership will now be tasked with rebuilding the quarterbacks room. The organization isn’t truly positioned to rebuild around a rookie signal-caller, and there aren’t expected to be any franchise-altering veterans available this offseason.

As a result, the front office may toe the line between both approaches. ESPN’s Rich Cimini expects the Jets to add both a veteran quarterback and a rookie quarterback.

The upcoming veteran options are uninspiring, but free agency should still provide the Jets with plenty of options for a bridge QB. Cimini says a Sam Darnold reunion isn’t a realistic possibility, but the organization could turn to the likes of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, or Daniel Jones to help keep the seat warm. Cimini also mentions Kirk Cousins as a potential option, assuming the veteran is ultimately let go by the Falcons.

The team’s draft strategy is a bit more unpredictable. Armed with the seventh pick, the Jets will likely be out of range for top prospects Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. While the front office could always make an aggressive move up the board, Cimini believes it’s more likely they target someone in the next tier of prospects. That type of move wouldn’t require a first-round pick, and there would be less urgency to push the rookie atop the depth chart.

As Cimini notes, new Jets general manager Darren Mougey isn’t completely unfamiliar with the Jets’ projected offseason. The executive last served as the Broncos assistant GM, and he was at the helm when Denver moved on from a high-price veteran QB in Russell Wilson. The Broncos ended up opting for a young signal caller in Bo Nix, although the rookie was paired with reclamation projects (like Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson) instead of clear-cut bridge QBs. Either way, Mougey is well positioned to handle the transition from Rodgers to the next Jets QB.

Jets Notes: Rodgers, Reed, Lazard, FA

February 5th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Jets having settled on their organizational hierarchy, focus will now pivot to the roster…particularly their high-priced, future Hall of Fame quarterback. Aaron Rodgers has generally been noncommittal regarding his Jets future, and the QB continued that trend during a chat with the Golf Channel during the WM Phoenix Open.

“I’ve talked with the Jets,” Rodgers said when asked about his immediate future (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “We’ll figure things out when we figure them out.”

New head coach Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey will be responsible for figuring out the team’s approach at the position, as Woody Johnson has said he’ll be hands off when it comes to the handling of Rodgers. Both sides have expressed interest in keeping Rodgers in New York for the 2025 campaign, but things can obviously quickly change.

While neither the organization nor Rodgers are being definitive about his status, two members of the Jets have made it clear they want the veteran back in 2025. Quincy Williams noted that the former Super Bowl winner “takes our game to another level,” while Jermaine Johnson said he’d “obviously” welcome Rodgers back next season (per Brian Costello of the New York Post).

More notes out of New York…

While Rodgers’ status with the team is uncertain, it sounds a bit more definitive that two other veterans won’t be back in 2025. According to Costello, cornerback D.J. Reed isn’t expected to re-sign with the organization while wide receiver Allen Lazard is expected to be a cap casualty. Reed inked a three-year contract with the Jets back in 2022 that’s set to expire, and the veteran should garner plenty of interest after starting each of his 46 appearances with the organization. Lazard is still attached to the four-year deal he signed with the organization in 2023, and while his numbers took a step forward playing alongside Rodgers, his production with the Jets (60 catches, 841 yards in 26 games) doesn’t justify the financial commitment.
Mekhi Becton has turned around his career in Philly, as the former first-round pick has shed his “bust” label. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic explored Becton’s career evolution, including the end of his tumultuous tenure with the Jets. Most notably, the lineman ignored a number of messages from position coach John Benton during the 2022 offseason. This followed a 2021 campaign when Becton was limited to one game thanks to a knee injury. Becton’s 2022 season was somehow even worse, as the lineman suffered a kneecap injury that erased another campaign.
With Glenn now running the show, the former Lions defensive coordinator will predictably recruit players from his former stop. One of his potential targets will likely be Derrick Barnes, according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com. The former fourth-round pick just completed his rookie contract after spending the first four seasons of his career in Detroit, where he collected 205 tackles in 51 games. The linebacker was limited to only three appearances this past season thanks to a knee injury.

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