FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- For the past two offseasons, the New York Jets tried to build a better roster for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It didn't work. Their so-called championship window slammed shut without so much as a winning season.
So now a new regime is in to lead the franchise, Rodgers is out and there's a different way of doing business.
In the first year under coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, the Jets can reconstruct a roster with an eye on tomorrow. It's not a bare-cupboard situation. In fact, they have nine former first- and second-round picks (five offense, four defense) between the ages of 22 and 27, all in starting roles.
"It's a talented roster here," Mougey said, "and we're going to continue to add to it."
They have plenty of needs. For resources, the Jets have eight draft picks, including three in the top 100, and should have more than $55 million in cap space (after cuts).
Here's a look at their top five needs:
Quarterback
When they traded for Rodgers in 2023, the Jets had a succession plan: go two or three years with Rodgers, then have him pass the baton back to Zach Wilson. That idea was abandoned after a year when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, leaving the Jets with no heir apparent -- announcing last week that they are parting ways with Rodgers.
They still have Tyrod Taylor under contract, but they could use another veteran to augment the position. They could go with an older bridge quarterback (Kirk Cousins) or a former starter with some upside (Justin Fields). Or perhaps they can trade for an unproven backup with the potential to develop (Hendon Hooker or Tanner McKee). Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand just spent two seasons with Hooker on the Detroit Lions.
Picking seventh in the April draft, they probably won't have a shot at either of the top two prospects, Cam Ward (Miami) or Shedeur Sanders (Colorado). So it's not an ideal situation for the new hierarchy, which might be better off waiting for the loaded 2026 draft class.
"We'll explore and exhaust every option," Mougey said.
Defensive backs
Aside from cornerback Sauce Gardner and nickel back Michael Carter II, the Jets have a lot of empty spaces on the depth chart. Corners D.J. Reed and Brandin Echols are pending free agents, as are their top four safeties -- Chuck Clark, Tony Adams (restricted), Jalen Mills and Ashtyn Davis.
Glenn, whose expertise is the secondary, faces a major rebuild.
To address the multiple needs, the team will need to tap into both free agency and the draft. The consensus top DB in the draft is Will Johnson (Michigan), the No. 10 prospect in Field Yates' latest rankings.
In free agency, there's more depth at safety than corner. Safety wasn't a premium position in the previous coaching staff's zone-based scheme; that figures to change under Glenn, who prefers man coverage over zone. The Lions have a handful of free agents, including cornerback Carlton Davis III and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. Perhaps Glenn will look to his previous team to help bolster his new secondary.
Reed will be among the most coveted corners in free agency, though the previous regime was prepared to move on from him. Glenn & Co. might have a different perspective, but the price to sign Reed to a deal probably will be too high for the Jets.
"This isn't my first time going through [free agency], and I'm looking forward to it," Reed told ESPN at the end of the season. "I really wish the Jets the best. I want the Jets to win. Winning in New York is different, you know what I mean? If you're able to win in New York, you're going to be the man forever. That was something I took to heart and really wanted to do. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to."
That sounded like a goodbye.
Defensive tackle
Three of their top four interior linemen are pending free agents -- Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas and Leki Fotu. That leaves Quinnen Williams and a lot of questions. This is a troublesome scenario for a defense that finished 20th in rushing EPA. It also has to be concerning for Williams, one of the most double-teamed tackles in the league.
Ideal scenario: Mason Graham (Michigan), No. 3 in the Yates rankings, slips to the Jets at No. 7. Short of that, it will take some shrewd drafting and strategic spending in free agency to fill the holes. The only tackle in the Jets' pipeline is Leonard Taylor III, who played 261 snaps as a rookie.
Tight end
For three years, they received consistent production from Tyler Conklin, who caught 58, 61 and 51 passes, respectively, in the span. Now Conklin is heading to free agency. Ditto, backup Kenny Yeboah, leaving Jeremy Ruckert as the top player under contract.
Ruckert (35 receptions in three years), a former third-round pick, hasn't developed as quickly as they had hoped, making this a major need. Last year, the Jets passed on Brock Bowers, now a star with the Las Vegas Raiders, to address a need in the first round -- tackle Olu Fashanu. The decision doesn't look great now, but Fashanu still has a ton of potential as a left tackle.
For the next two months, the Jets are sure to be linked with Tyler Warren (Penn State), No. 9 in the prospect rankings.
Wide receiver
They're fine as of this moment, but the dynamic will change in the coming weeks. Davante Adams ($38.3 million cap charge) and Allen Lazard ($13.2 million) are likely to be released, leaving Garrett Wilson, Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley as the top three on the depth chart.
Wilson, coming off his third straight 1,000-yard season, is a legit WR1. Neither Gipson nor Corley demonstrated the ability to be a front-line receiver. Corley should get a chance, considering he was a 2024 third-round pick, but the new regime has no allegiance to him.
"Everybody's under the microscope," Glenn said, speaking about roster.
There aren't many attractive options in free agency other than Tee Higgins, who figures to be out of the Jets' price range. A second-tier option is Tim Patrick, who also was with the Lions last season. The consensus top receiver in the draft is Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), a 6-foot-5 target with huge production.
