The Jets could be a surprising team entering the 2026 season as everyone is expecting them to be among the worst teams in the NFL, but I think they could indeed surprise the league and perhaps contend for the playoffs or more. Head coach Aaron Glenn is going into year 2 on the job and if he was indeed the right hire, then the Jets could have one of the premier head coaches in the sport as the defensive mastermind level head coach is the ultimate type of head coach in my estimation. They have onboarded former Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator Frank Reich along with former Seahawks’ starting QB Geno Smith. Reich was regarded as one of the premier offensive minds in the NFL at one point while Smith was a borderline MVP starting QB at one point. Outside of the revamped coaching staff and the new QB1, the rest of the roster that the Jets have will also loom quite large as well. Here I will go into detail assessing the skill position grouping of the Jets as the 2026 season approaches for New York.
Starting with the running back unit of the team, the Jets have some talent but many concerns in the unit. The unit is led by former 2nd rounder Breece Hall who is very talented, but who has had his inconsistencies thus far in his career. Hall had a remarkable rookie season during the 2022 campaign where he averaged 5.8 yards a carry amounting nearly 500 yards, although Pro Football Focus graded him below average in terms of an overall defense grade among players at his position. In year 2, Hall built upon it as Pro Football Focus graded him as a top 10 overall running back in the NFL as he accounted for almost 1000 yards, in year 2 Pro Football Focus even graded Hall as the best overall receiving back in the NFL. Hall regressed in year 3 as Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the weakest backs in the sport that year but bounced back in year 4 in 2025 again ranking as a top ten overall back according to Pro Football Focus. Hall’s play in the NFL thus far has ranked up there with almost any back in the sport when he has been on his A game. Perhaps his inconsistencies have been due to playing for the Jets who have had amongst the league’s worst offenses on a year in year out basis when Hall has been on the team. Maybe Hall can come into his own and find more consistency as the Jets improve offensively heading into the Frank Reich/Geno Smith era. If he does, we could see Hall emerge as a perennial Pro Bowl caliber running back. The Jets have decent depth behind Hall at the running back spot as 2024 4th rounder Braelon Allen had a very strong rookie season although struggling in an injury shortened year 2 in the NFL in 2025. While 2024 5th rounder Isaiah Davis has looked very strong with regularity thus far in the NFL as well.
At tight end the Jets have a lot of talent but still question marks as well heading into the 2026 season. The team drafted Kenyon Sadiq in the first round of the 2026 draft, and he is already listed as the leading tight end for New York heading into next year. Sadiq will eventually be expected to blossom into a star for the Jets given how high he was drafted. 2025 2nd rounder Mason Taylor is second on the depth chart behind Sadiq and although Taylor had a disappointing rookie season, he was not awful, was drafted quite high, and could easily prove to be one of the premier #2 tight ends in the NFL next season. 2022 3rd rounder Jelani Woods had a strong rookie season although accumulating just 1 total reception since. While his fellow 2022 3rd rounder Jeremy Ruckert was also drafted quite high although struggling in the NFL thus far, but perhaps Ruckert has not had enough of a chance to prove himself yet. The tight end unit of the Jets has the potential to be one of the premier tight end units in the NFL next season.
At wide receiver the Jets also have talent but many question marks as well as former first rounder Garrett Wilson leads the unit for New York. Wilson was drafted very highly in the top ten of the NFL draft and won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during the 2022 season. Wilson was one of the highest drafted wide outs in recent memory as it is rare for rookie wide outs to be taken in the top ten. While Wilson also had one of the best rookie seasons of any player ever. Wilson since his rookie year has just been good to very good but not anything special, however. Perhaps the Jets having very subpar offensive circumstances in Wilson’s career thus far has held him back from coming into his own and we could see Wilson emerge as a star heading into the Geno Smith/Frank Reich era.
The Jets have question marks but a lot of promise behind Wilson at wide out as well as 2024 2nd rounder Adonai Mitchell and 2026 1st rounder Omar Cooper Jr highlight the rest of the unit for New York. Mitchell has struggled in the NFL thus far but yet again perhaps his struggles can be attributed to the Jets having poor offensive circumstances thus far in his career. Perhaps Mitchell can come into his own and live up to his high draft billing heading into year 3 with New York likely having much improved offensive circumstances for him to work in. While Omar Cooper Jr was drafted at the end of the 1st round of the 2026 draft and will be expected to contribute and eventually turn into a high-level starter. While veteran Tim Patrick and 2025 4th rounder Arian Smith could also provide some depth for the Jets in their wide out unit.
Overall, the Jets have a very promising grouping of skill position players heading into the 2026 season. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall have been very good in the NFL thus far but have perhaps not blossomed into stars due to the Jets having anemic offensive circumstances on a year-to-year basis. Perhaps as the Jets have much improved offensive conditions heading into the 2026 season, we could see those two players become household names at wide out and running back. The Jets have solid depth at running back, a first round pick and a second-round pick in each of the past two drafts leading the tight end unit, and young talented high draft picks supplementing Wilson in the wide receiver core. A breakdown of the skill position grouping for the Jets can be found below.
2026 Notable Jets’ Running Backs
HB – Breece Hall – B+, could emerge as A level player with improved offensive circumstances
HB – Braelon Allen – C+ to B-, still improving
HB – Isaiah Davis – B-, still improving
2026 Notable Jets’ Tight Ends
TE – Kenyon Sadiq – 2026 1st rounder
TE – Mason Taylor – 2025 2nd rounder, C to C- as rookie, still improving
TE – Jeremy Ruckert – 2022 3rd rounder, C-, still has perhaps not had enough of a chance to prove himself
TE – Jelani Woods – 2022 3rd rounder, C+ to B-, strong rookie season, only 1 total reception since
2026 Notable Jets’ Wide Receivers
WR – Garrett Wilson – B+, could emerge as A level player with improved offensive circumstances
WR – Adonai Mitchell – 2024 2nd rounder, C to C- so far, still improving
WR – Omar Cooper Jr – 2026 1st rounder
