Over the past week, the Jets have been active in free agency. GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn continue to put their imprints on the roster with all three phases in mind.
"We will have a plan," Mougey told reporters before starting the process. "I don't know how active or measured it will be, but we'll have a good plan."
The Jets want to simultaneously win now and build a consistent winner. It will take a patient, calculated approach, and that's what we've seen early from the new regime.
The following is a look at the Jets' offensive moves to date:
QB Justin Fields
The Fit: With four NFL seasons under his belt, Fields, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, will have the opportunity to become QB1 in New York. He is a dynamic dual threat who has totaled 64 TDs (45 pass, 19 rush) against 43 turnovers (31 INTs, 12 fumbles lost). Blessed with 4.4 speed, Fields (6-3, 227) is the only QB in NFL history to have rushed for 3 regular-season TDs of 50 yards or more. During the 2022 season, he became only the second QB (Kyler Murray, 2020) since 1970 to have passed for a TD and rushed for a score in five consecutive games. He has explosive arm talent and his 65.8% completion percentage and 93.3 passer rating last season in Pittsburgh were career highs. Fields went 4-2 as a starter last season in Pittsburgh, totaling 10 TDs against 2 INTs.
The Room: Fields, 26, will join a stable that includes veteran Tyrod Taylor and two young passers – Jordan Travis and Adrian Martinez. Taylor, 35, is a consummate professional who has helped young QBs in the past and kept defenses on their heels with the threat of the pass and the run. Charles London, who spent last season working with former Jets QB Geno Smith in Seattle, is the new QB coach.
The Future: New offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand will work with a passer in Fields who owns a completely different skill set than Jared Goff, who he worked with in Detroit. The Jets could employ a system that features RPOs, designed runs and zone reads with Fields, and they'll pressure defenses with a playmaker group that is highlighted by WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece Hall. The Jets will emphasize the run more and Fields should have an opportunity to punish teams in the play-action game.
WR Tyler Johnson
The Fit: A highly productive receiver in college at Minnesota, Johnson (6-1, 208) played 16 games with the Rams in 2023-24. Targeted 41 times last season, Johnson, 26, finished with 26 catches, 291 yards receiving (11.2 per) and 1 TD. The Jets had a need at the position when Davante Adams swapped addresses with Johnson and joined the Rams in free agency.
Position Picture: Garrett Wilson has had off-the-charts production his first three seasons with 279 receptions, 3,249 yards receiving and 14 TDs. In just 11 games, Adams had 854 yards receiving and tied Wilson for the team receiving TD lead with 7. Allen Lazard (37-530-14.3-6TD) remains on the roster as do Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley.
The Future: Wilson is a star but there will be opportunities for others elsewhere. Johnson, a fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL Draft, had 3,305 receiving yards, 16 100-yard receiving games and 33 TD catches for the Golden Gophers. After recording 48 receptions for 529 yards in two seasons with the Bucs, Johnson bounced around before signing with the Rams. He spent the majority of his first LA season on the practice squad before re-signing last spring. The Jets likely aren't done at the position.
See the newest Jets visiting 1 Jets Drive for the first time and putting pen to paper, inking their new deals with the Green & White.
TE Stone Smartt
The Fit: Showcasing his ability to get down the field last season, Smartt (6-4, 226) averaged 13 yards a catch for the Chargers. Smartt, 26, is a developing player who made the switch from QB to WR at Old Dominion in 2021. An undrafted free agent in 2022, he signed with the 'Bolts and appeared in 38 games over three seasons. Targeted 45 times, Smartt had 31 receptions and averaged 12.3 yards a grab.
Position Picture: Hybrid TE/FB Andrew Beck signed a reserve/future deal on Feb. 7. Jeremy Ruckert (35 receptions in 2022-24) has the longest Jets tenure while Zack Kuntz and Neal Johnson round out the group. Tyler Conklin, who had 51 catches last season and a career-high 4 TDs, remains a free agent while Kenny Yeboah, a valuable special teams contributor, inked a deal with the Detroit Lions in free agency.
The Future: If the Jets hold steady with the No. 7 overall selection in April's draft, Penn State TE Tyler Warren could be in play. He is considered a special prospect with his impact in the run and pass games.
RB Kene Nwangwu
The Fit: The Jets are stacked at RB with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. But Nwangwu (6-1, 210) figures to have a shot at being the team's primary return man. Nwangwu, 27, had a 99-yard return score against Seattle last season and has a career 28.7-yard kick return average.
Position Picture: The core of Jets' special teamers is changing. CB Brandin Echols (Pittsburgh), S Ashtyn Davis (Miami) and TE Kenny Yeboah (Detroit) all departed in free agency. LB Sam Eguavoen is unsigned. Nwangwu is a burner who has ability to flip field position.
The Future: HC Aaron Glenn is a Bill Parcells and Sean Payton disciple. Special teams mean hidden yardage and opportunities to change games, so there will be a continued emphasis on coordinator Chris Banjo's unit.
C Josh Myers
The Fit: Competition. Over four seasons with the Packers, Myers (6-5, 310) started in all 56 games he appeared in. Aaron Glenn comes from Detroit and the Lions got their rebuild in motion by continually fortifying the line.
Position Picture: Myers, 26, an Ohio State product taken in the second round (No. 62 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, reunites with QB Justin Fields. The Jets do have a young C they like in Joe Tippmann, LG John Simpson played well in 2024, and Alijah Vera-Tucker has shown position flexibility early in his career.
The Future: In Tippmann (31 starts) and Myers (56 starts), the Jets have two young centers who've combined for 87 starts. Depth is a good thing to have up front and Myers reportedly signed a one-year team-friendly deal.
T Chukwuma Okorafor
The Fit: A third-round pick of the Steelers in 2018, Okorafor, 27, will have a chance to jump-start his career with the Jets. He was the Patriots' Week 1 starting LT last season and then was placed on the exempt/left squad list before Week 2. Okorafor the 11th T drafted in 2018, started 59 games over six seasons with Pittsburgh. He's a big man (6-6, 320) with length and power. Okorafor could compete at RT or possibly the swing T spot.
Position Picture: GM Darren Mougey told reporters in Indianapolis that he "feels good" about his offensive line. Morgan Moses signed with the Pats, which created a vacancy at RT.
The Future: The Jets own eight selections in April's Draft including two of the top 42 positions and three of the top 73. Armand Membou (Missouri), Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) all are likely to be taken in the first round and will start as rookies. The Jets could address the line early on draft weekend.
