Throughout the offseason, NewYorkJets.com reporters Eric Allen, Randy Lange, Susanna Weir and Jack Bell will give their responses to a series of questions regarding the Jets.
Today's question: Where Have the Jets Improved their Roster Most this Offseason?
EA: The quarterback positions. That's plural because the Jets have added three since the beginning of the league year – 1 on offense and 2 on defense. Geno Smith, acquired in a trade from the Raiders, will give the Jets a second dimension on offense. He is an accurate passer who will throw for yards and touchdowns. The Jets have the ingredients to field another strong run game and Smith will make defenses think twice about loading the box. Smith must keep the interceptions down, but I think the sack numbers will fall as he'll be operating behind a more talented Jets offensive line than he did last season with the Raiders. Over his past four seasons as a starter, Smith has averaged 3,718 yards, 21 TDs and 12 INTs while hitting on 68% of his passes. He's a good player. Then on defense, LB Demario Davis comes in and vastly improves the run defense from Day 1. S Minkah Fitzpatrick provides versatility in the back end and provides the Jets several options in terms of looks. Davis, who is in lockstep with Jets HC Aaron Glenn, grabs the green dot and is central command. He has a wingman behind him in Fitzpatrick who's a great leader in his own right. Smith has come a long way and will provide more leadership on offense. For the Jets, this offseason has been about the quarterbacks and the power of three.
RL: I'll go with the secondary, which added some young and old bodies to the mix. I've been a fan of Minkah Fitzpatrick since his senior season at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City in 2014, when he and his Marauders won a state parochial title at MetLife Stadium, and now he says "it's surreal" that he's back home and about to wear the green and white. I think he's got a lot more to give and he'll be giving it as a Jet. Dane Belton is also familiar with MetLife, having played S for the Giants for four seasons, and he's also familiar with Fitzpatrick's desire to play in a secondary that has passion and physicality. Belton put up career highs of 705 defensive snaps, 100 D-tackles plus 20 more on ST and 3 forced fumbles. I'm also happy S Andre Cisco (re-)signed with the Jets and the New Yorker will get another chance to work in front of his hometown fans after having last season short-circuited by injury. At corner, Nahshon Wright also enjoyed a career season, with Chicago, especially with his 5 INTs, tied for second-most in the NFL, Folding them in with Malachi Moore, Brandon Stephens, Azareye'h Thomas, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and the rest of the DBs, ahead of the draft, makes for an improved and, dare I say, a more larcenous secondary in 2026.
SW: After the Jets struggled to generate takeaways during the 2025 season, GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn addressed the issue early in the offseason by bringing in some new faces. S Minkah Fitzpatrick, a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, was acquired by the team in a trade with the Dolphins and will reunite with DC Brian Duker, who was the defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach in Miami. Fitzpatrick has recorded 28 takeaways during his eight years in the league and led the NFL with 6 INTs in 2022. The Jets also signed free agent CB Nahshon Wright, who led the NFL in takeaways (8) during his 2025 campaign with the Bears. S Dane Belton, who has recorded 10 career takeaways, came across town from the Giants after spending four seasons with the team. The group also includes plenty of returners, including S Andre Cisco, a New York native who re-signed with the Green & White. With Glenn -- a former DB and three-time Pro Bowler -- set to call defensive plays, this group will be well positioned to take a step forward in 2026.
JB: The obvious answer is on the defense, adding LB Demario Davis, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB Nahshon Wright, DT T'Vondre Sweat, DT David Onyemata and edges Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. That, for sure, is an impressive list that will be added to in the coming NFL Draft. But I'll go with a single player: QB Geno Smith. Yeah, I know, I know ... most analysts and observes view Smith, 35, in his return to the team that drafted him in the second round in 2013, as a bridge QB as the organization looks ahead to using its three first-round selections in the 2027 to land a potential franchise QB. But after two seasons with the Jets and then another seven basically in the QB wilderness, Smith overcame his limitations, soaked up all the knowledge he could and transformed himself into the NFL Comeback Player of the Year with Seattle in 2022. Yes, he had a down year with Las Vegas last season, but so did the entire Raiders team. As Smith said recently, the quarterback is only one of 11 players. Now, on a Jets offense that is certain to get reinforcements in the draft, boasts a solid offensive line and potential gamebreakers like WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece Hall, Smith could be the rising tide that raises all boats.
