A month after the Philadelphia Eagles hoisted the Lombardi Trophy following their Super Bowl LIX victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, free agency is set to begin.
The new league year will officially begin Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, but teams can start negotiating with players at noon on Monday.
This is coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey’s first offseason with the Jets and they have a lot of work to do after inheriting a team that finished 5-12 last season.
“We’re looking for smart, tough, aggressive and resilient players,” Glenn said during last week’s NFL Scouting Combine. “We’re going to do everything we can to find those guys, and listen, you can find them in all different spots, small schools, big-time schools, trades, wherever we can find them we’re going to try to bring them on this team.”
The Jets have 27 players set to become free agents, including cornerback D.J. Reed, right tackle Morgan Moses, linebacker Jamien Sherwood and tight end Tyler Conklin. The Jets are interested in re-signing Sherwood, according to sources, but he will generate a lot of interest in free agency.
Finding a new starting quarterback is the top priority for the Jets. Last month, they announced they would release Aaron Rodgers after two seasons. Gang Green also released wide receiver Davante Adams this week after the team acquired him in a midseason trade with the Raiders last October.
The Jets have $51.4 million of available salary cap space. With that in mind, let’s look at the areas the Jets will likely target once free agency begins.
FINDING A QB TO COMPETE WITH TAYLOR
Tyrod Taylor is the only experienced quarterback currently on the Jets roster. Although he didn’t start last season, Taylor, 35, has started 58 games in the NFL, with most of those coming when he was the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback from 2015-17.
While Taylor is the leader in the clubhouse to be the Jets’ starter in 2025, Glenn told reporters he wasn’t ready to declare the 14-year veteran the team’s starter.
“We haven’t had free agency, we haven’t had the draft,” Glenn said. “Listen, Tyrod’s a good player, we know that. I think he’s won almost 50% of his games, so he’s a guy that’s been in this league for a long time, so to answer that question, it’s hard to because draft and free agency haven’t come yet.”
The Jets also have Jordan Travis on their roster, but he did not play last season after suffering a fractured and dislocated ankle during his final year at Florida State in 2023.
Free agency doesn’t bring many good options, but Justin Fields should be at the top of the Jets’ wish list at quarterback. He has starting experience, with most of that coming from when he was in Chicago from 2021-23.
Fields, 26, was traded to the Steelers last offseason and began the year as their starting quarterback. He was 4-2 in six starts (1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception) but was relegated to the Steelers’ backup role after veteran Russell Wilson recovered from his calf injury.
Pittsburgh is reportedly interested in keeping Fields, possibly as its starting quarterback. However, the Jets could allow Fields to become their long-term starter if he plays well. But he has lacked consistency as a passer during his time in the NFL — completing 61.1% of his throws and never finishing with more than 17 TDs during his four years in the league.
If it’s not Fields, the Jets could sign Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota to compete with Taylor for the starting job.
NEW RIGHT TACKLE, WIDE RECEIVER, TIGHT END
The quarterback position is far from the only offensive hole the Jets have. They also need a new starting right tackle, possibly a couple of new receivers and a tight end.
With Moses set to hit free agency, the Jets will likely look to get younger at the position after the veteran played through several injuries last year, including a Grade 2 MCL sprain. If Moses is not re-signed, Jedrick Wills could make some sense at right tackle. He mostly played at left tackle for the Cleveland Browns after he was selected 10th overall in the 2020 draft out of Alabama.
Wills has experience playing at right tackle for the Crimson Tide before he was moved to the left side in Cleveland.
After Adams was released, the Jets must find a receiver to pair with their budding young star, Garrett Wilson. Many veteran receivers will be on the free-agent market this offseason, but Tim Patrick could be a target for the Jets on Day 1 of free agency.
Patrick played with the Detroit Lions last season and is familiar with Glenn and the new Jets offensive coordinator, Tanner Engstrand. After tearing his Achilles in 2023, Patrick finished last season with 33 receptions for 394 and four touchdowns.
The Jets could wait until the draft to fill their tight end need, but they could also use a veteran pass catcher. The Jaguars released Evan Engram on Thursday, which could be an option for the Jets.
FILLING SEVERAL HOLES ON DEFENSE
After finishing top five in yards allowed the last three seasons, the Jets have several key areas to address on a defense that faded following Robert Saleh’s firing after a 2-3 start. Glenn and Mougey could start at the line of scrimmage since there are questions at defensive tackle.
Quinnen Williams remains one of the best defensive tackles in the league, but he needs someone to take pressure off him on the opposite side. Veterans Poona Ford and D.J. Jones are both players who would help with stuffing the run, an area the Jets struggled with the last couple of years.
The cornerback position opposite Sauce Gardner is also a concern for the Jets. Free agent Carlton Davis, who worked under Glenn when he was the defensive coordinator of the Lions, could be in line for a significant raise. In his only season with the Lions, Davis finished with 56 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions in 13 games.
