With the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine officially underway in Indianapolis, general manager Darren Mougey is eager to begin building next year's roster.
"I'm excited about this offseason and all the opportunity we have in front of us," Mougey told reporters on Tuesday. "I'm really looking forward to working with some of the new staff as we go through this free agency and draft process."
The Jets begin that process with new offensive and defensive coordinators, Frank Reich and Brian Duker, as well as several other new coaches. With significant capital, including two first-round picks in April's draft, the Jets will have plenty of opportunities to add to the roster -- and this week will play a critical role in the evaluation.
"Really looking forward to, this week, getting to really dive into that college pool," Mougey said. "It's an opportunity for me to really meet and see some of these guys and put my eyes on them for the first time in person -- a part of the process I've really enjoyed."
The quarterback position is certainly front of mind for Mougey & Co., both from a draft and free-agency perspective. There are other roster needs, however. On defense, the Jets will look for more production in 2026, and acquiring playmakers could fuel improvement.
"It's something we always look at it," Mougey said of evaluating defensive playmakers, adding, "Within the secondary guys, ball production guys -- are they getting their hands on the ball? Are they getting PBUs? Are they creating turnovers? Are they creating interceptions? Are they punching balls out? It's absolutely something we look at and it's an emphasis all the time."
Though the draft presents opportunity to fill those needs, Mougey emphasized that there are several other pieces to the puzzle. The Jets had one of the younger rosters in the NFL in 2025, especially later in the season. Heading into Week 18, the team led the league in snaps by first- and second-year players. Several of those young players, including the Jets' 2025 draft selections, had opportunities to contribute. And while the upcoming draft selections could look to do the same, Mougey stressed that exploring veteran additions will also be beneficial.
"Starting in free agency, we feel really good about the cap space we have," Mougey said. "We believe we'll be able to add some good players during this free agency process to the team that will really help us. … [We have] an opportunity to add some veteran players, some veteran leadership at certain positions."
Mougey also shared that there are foundational members of the roster that he hopes will be part of the plan, including RB Breece Hall. While long-term vision will play a role in the decision-making process, Mougey also remains committed to the idea of being competitive right away.
"We want to compete and be better and we're going to be better next year," Mougey said. "And having three [first-round picks] gives us a lot of flexibility in the future. So, I'm excited about the three ones in 2027, but really excited about the draft capital that we have this year too."
With the 2026 NFL Draft just two months away, Mougey is set to begin putting together the pieces of the puzzle.
"I think you've got to leave everything on the table," Mougey said of draft decisions, adding, "At the end of the day, we've got to add good players. And there are so many variables that go into that."
