The New York Jets are actually primed for the best future than they have been since Rex Ryan took them to the AFC Championship in 2010.
GM Daren Mougey made a few blockbuster trades during the 2025 season, sending star All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner to the Colts and All-Pro DL Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys.
At the time, those moves might have had Jets fans shaking their heads, butt Mougey clearly has a vision in place and it began this offseason, will continue through the 2026 NFL Draft and extend through the 20207 Draft and beyond.
In a few weeks in Cleveland, the Jets have two first round picks, two second round picks and two third round picks along with two more fourth round picks and a fifth-round pick. Flash forward to the 2027 NFL Draft? The Jets already have three first round picks, with two extras coming from Indianapolis and Dallas in the trades with Gardner and Williams.
While they might not be chasing a Super Bowl this season, New York is clearly looking to put the pieces in place so when they find their hopeful franchise QB next year, he’s loaded with talent around him.
The Jets aren’t a team void of young talent right now, either. Garrett Wilson (age 25) has posted three-straight seasons with more than 1,000 yards and has 18 touchdowns in his young career.
Breece Hall is coming off his best NFL season as the Jets RB, closing out the year with 1,056 rushing yards and four touchdowns while adding another 350 receiving yards and a score as a pass-catcher.
The Jets have the right side of their offensive line anchored down for at least the next three seasons with RT Armand Membou who was stellar in his rookie season, and Mason Taylor looks like he’s on the cusp of breaking out as the next elite tight end in the league.
Mougey and company opted to trade a couple late round picks to bring back Geno Smith — who started his career in New York and was eventually benched —but don’t think they won’t be competitive in 2026. If they can make the most out of this year’s draft class and Smith can limit turnovers, the Jets should be in plenty of close games.
Will Jets part with multiple draft picks to trade for WR Brian Thomas?
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report threw out a pretty huge prediction that would help the young foundation the Jets are building and add a position of need.
But it’s a deal that wouldn’t come cheap.
Davenport believes the Jets could give up the 16th overall pick in first round the 2026 draft, their 5th round pick in 2026 and a 2027 2nd round pick to land 23-year-old wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jets would also receive the 2026 third round pick from Jacksonville. .
“The Jets are loaded for bear to get that quarterback in 2027, with three first-rounders. In the interim, the team should be looking to improve the situation that quarterback will be walking into. And outside Garrett Wilson, the pass-catching corps in New York is among the NFL's weakest.
This price might seem steep given Thomas' down 2025 campaign. But we're talking about a 23-year-old receiver who has already had a better season than Wilson ever has who is under team control at a reasonable amount through at least 2027.”
Wilson has never had a true weapon on the other side of him that defenses have to account for and acquiring Thomas would be an obvious upgrade to the Jets offense. Thomas was one of the top wideouts of the 2024 class, finishing the year with 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He took a step back in 2025 with just 707 yards and two touchdowns, but it’s impossible to argue his talent and what he could bring to New York.