The Jets enter offseason with several questions

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Welcome to the offseason, where Jets fans thrive every year.

While the Jets have missed the playoffs for 15 straight years, the offseason has always given Gang Green fans hope. With more than $90 million to spend this offseason, the Jets will look to fill several holes after a 3-13 season in coach Aaron Glenn’s first season.

With the 2025 season over, let’s preview a Jets offseason full of questions.

Defensive coordinator and other possible staff changes

Glenn is expected to return for his second season with the Jets. But they could make several changes to their squad.

Glenn’s first priority is finding a defensive coordinator after firing Steve Wilks on Dec. 15 following a 48-20 loss to the Jaguars. The Jets defense fell from a top-five defense in yards allowed to one of the worst units in the NFL.

Chris Harris has been the Jets’ defensive coordinator for their last four games, but the results have been similar. Wink Martindale, who served as defensive coordinator for the Broncos, Ravens and Giants, could be a potential replacement. He was Michigan’s defensive coordinator last season. But after the firing of coach Sherrone Moore and the appointment of Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines’ new coach, Martindale will be a hot commodity in NFL circles.

Other names mentioned include Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Broncos defensive passing coordinator and assistant coach Jim Leonhard, who also played three seasons with the Jets (2009-11). Jets defensive line coach Eric Washington’s job could also be in jeopardy after the team finished second to last in sacks.

Personnel changes can’t be exclusive to the defensive side of the ball. The Jets could change some members of their offensive team, including Charles London, who is their quarterbacks coach. London’s expertise lies primarily in working with running backs.

Finding a Franchise QB and Bridge

After evaluating the personnel, Glenn and Jets executives will travel to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine in hopes of finding their next franchise quarterback. The top two quarterbacks in the draft could be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore. Mendoza is widely considered the best quarterback available in April’s draft, but the Raiders will have the No. 1 pick and could decide to draft a quarterback.

Moore’s draft stock increased this year in his first season out of Oregon. He has the best athletic build and potential of any quarterback who could be available in April’s draft.

What makes Moore special is his ability to extend plays with his legs inside and outside the pocket. He can also make any throw on the field thanks to his accuracy, arm talent and passing speed. In 14 games this season, Moore has thrown for 3,280 yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions for the Ducks.

Mendoza and Moore will meet Friday night in the Fiesta Bowl, which is one of college football’s semifinals.

Additionally, the Jets will likely need a bridge quarterback to start games until the rookie is ready to play. Names the Jets could be interested in include Jacoby Brissett of the Cardinals, Marcus Mariota of the Commanders and Kirk Cousins ​​​​of the Falcons.

Free Justin Fields

The Jets will almost certainly have a new starting quarterback in 2026. That means the likely, brief end of the Justin Fields era.

Gang Green signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract last March, hoping he could be the next player to restart his career with another team after stops in Chicago and Pittsburgh. But the signing of Fields proved to be a failure, as he was benched after nine starts in which he led the Jets to the worst passing attack in the league.

Fields is scheduled to make $20 million in 2026, with $10 million guaranteed. If the Jets released Fields with a June 1 designation, they would save $10 million.

Fields just wasn’t a good fit for the Jets for a variety of reasons. One reason is his lack of accuracy and willingness to throw the ball down the field. In nine games, Fields passed for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception.

Impending free agents

The Jets are expected to have 23 free agents this offseason. Among them are starting running back Breece Hall, guard John Simpson, linebacker Quincy Williams, safeties Andre Cisco and Tony Adams.

The Jets kept Hall after the trade deadline despite trading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. Now they need to find a way to keep it long term. With the likely arrival of a rookie quarterback, the Jets must keep Hall, who is a major foundation of their offensive identity.

The Jets also have the franchise tag if they have to place it on Hall. However, the franchise tender is expected to be around $14.1 million for the running backs.

Tons of temporary capital

The Jets will have two first-round picks after trading Gardner and two second-round picks after trading Williams. They will have eight picks total, and that doesn’t even include the compensatory picks, of which the Jets are expected to receive two, both in the fifth round, according to Over the Cap.