It has been a busy offseason so far for HC Aaron Glenn, who has brought in new coaching staff and added veteran playmakers to the roster. With each decision, Glenn believes the Jets are moving one step closer to where they want to be in 2026.
"Everything about what we're doing, and what we're going to do, is going to be process oriented," Glenn told senior reporter Eric Allen at the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday. "A lot of the time you have this vision of where you want to go. But being process oriented means you're very detailed on the steps that you're going to be able to take to get to that vision."
After fielding one of the youngest teams in the league last season, Glenn has said that bringing in veteran leadership could be one of the most critical steps in that process. In March, the Jets added 11 new players to the roster via free agency signings and trades, and nine of those fresh faces bring at least four years of NFL playing experience to the team.
"That was the plan from the very beginning, not just on the defensive side but on the whole team," Glenn said. "Trying to get an influx of these veteran guys to be a part of what we're building."
The longest tenured additions include LB Demario Davis and QB Geno Smith -- two players who return to the Green & White after being drafted by the team in 2012 and 2013, respectively. David Onyemata, an 11-year veteran defensive lineman, brings experience working with Glenn in New Orleans. And S Minkah Fitzpatrick, entering his ninth season in the NFL, brings a full slate of accolades including three first-team All-Pro selections.
"Those guys have been with me and they know exactly what I'm about," Glenn said. "When you have guys -- you bring another guy like Minkah, who, just his history of what he's done in this league speaks for itself. And now the young guys have someone to point to and say, 'man this is what I want to be like and this is how I want to do it.' "
With the 2026 NFL Draft just a month away, Glenn and GM Darren Mougey will have the opportunity to add additional young talent. And with veteran leadership already in place, Glenn said he is eager to continue the evaluation process and key on players that "fit us best."
"To have two first-round picks, to have two second-round picks, to have the picks that we have in the middle and towards the end of the draft, that really sets your team," he said, adding, "I'm, excited about it, I love having those later picks also because it gives you a chance to pick some guys that they might not have all the traits, but they have something in them that you know you can develop to make them a key part of your team."
With plenty of offseason decisions still looming, Glenn is confident in the direction his team is heading.
"I love everything about what we're doing," he said. "And again, we're going to continue to try to build."
