Are the New York Jets only a quarterback away on offense?

The NFL is a few weeks away from the start of free agency and the New York Jets will be one of many teams with money to spend as they look to improve their roster from last season’s miserable 3-14 season.

While defense is almost certain to be the primary focus for improvement, the offensive side of the ball may be further along than we initially thought. They're certain to add players either through free agency, the draft or by trade, but the situation is not as bleak as many pessimistic fans or team media would have you believe.

The elephant in the room each and every season for the Jets is the search for the right quarterback. The team rolled the dice on Justin Fields last year and it was an abject failure. Fields put up some of the worst numbers of his career and the Jets passing offense averaged a league worst 140.3 yards per game through the air.

It wasn't entirely his fault as he wasn't always put in the best position to succeed by now former offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Whatever side of the fence you stand on regarding Engstrand’s dismissal, an argument can be made that he didn’t deserve a second season as offensive coordinator.  Former head coach Frank Reich is the new offensive coordinator and he'll have plenty to work with on offense next season.

Garrett Wilson is expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season.  He is the Jets best offensive weapon and it sounds like Reich has big plans for him based off previous comments. The depth behind Wilson has plenty of potential.  Adonai Mitchell, acquired in the Sauce Gardner trade, showed plenty of flashes of being an impact player with two touchdowns and a 100 yard receiving game in eight games for the Jets. His speed coupled with a quarterback who can get the ball downfield could take the opposing defense's attention off of Wilson and lead to big seasons for both players.

John Metchie, acquired during the season for Michael Carter II, also showed some potential of his own when given more opportunities. Metchie did have some drops but also had a few touchdowns and should provide quality depth. Tight End Mason Taylor had 44 receptions as a rookie and if not for a season-ending neck injury, would have easily put up better numbers.

If there’s one area that finally doesn’t need a major overhaul, it’s the offensive line.  The Jets return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season.  Armand Membou was terrific in his rookie season at right tackle and Olu Fashanu showed improvement in his second year at left tackle. Joe Tippmann performed very well moving to right guard after the season ending injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker. Center Josh Myers was brought back on a two-year extension after filling in for Tippmann after he moved to guard to replace AVT.

The Jets have to make a decision between keeping Vera-Tucker or John Simpson as both are unrestricted free agents. They each have their strengths as well as their weaknesses. But, for the first time in a long time, the offensive line is no longer a major liability.

The biggest decision the Jets will need to make on offense is at running back, where Breece Hall is an unrestricted free agent and it's unknown if he has any interest in returning to the team that drafted him.  There are multiple reports indicating the Jets could use the franchise tag or the transition tag on Hall, which would give them an idea of what his market will look like and the opportunity to match any offer he receives. 

In my personal opinion, Hall is overrated.  While he had his first 1,000 yard season of his career last year, it took a long touchdown run in garbage time against the Patriots to eclipse that mark.  In 10 of the 17 games he played last season, Hall rushed for less than 75 yards, which is very disappointing for a player who received over 200 carries and running behind an above average offensive line.   His attitude is also an issue with the numerous cryptic tweets he posts for sympathy from the Jets fans and meda.

In the event Hall walks in free agency, the Jets have two running backs on the roster who deserve the opportunity for bigger roles. Braelon Allen was a fourth round pick in the 2024 draft and his physical running style has been impressive at times, but not enough to determine if he's capable of being the top running back on the team. Allen only played four games last year due to an ankle injury, but he averaged over four yards a carry on the ground and close to eight yards per reception. Those numbers over a full season could be just as good as Hall's numbers at half the price with Allen still on his rookie contract.

Isaiah Davis was selected in the same draft as Allen and has been a good complimentary back. He's averaged over five yards a carry in each of his two years in New York as well as close to nine yards a reception. He also contributes on special teams as a returner. This doesn't mean the Jets shouldn't try to bring Hall back as he is dangerous out of the backfield. But, the cupboard isn't necessarily bare either if Hall decides to leave New York.

At the end of the day, the quarterback will always be the glue that keeps the offense together.  Without the right player under center, the offense will be like driving a poor used car.  It’ll have its moments where it runs like a dream, but ultimately stall more times than you would like. 

The Jets have been linked to every quarterback available, including Kyler Murray and Kurt Cousins.  In a recent Jets Wire article, I recommended Philadelphia Eagles backup Tanner McKee as the potential answer.  Other options could be Jacoby Brissett (trade), Tua Tagovailoa (trade) and Marcus Mariota (free agent).  The 2026 draft is not an option for an immediate starter this year, but could be a possibility as the starter in 2027.

The Jets have tried and tried to find the answer and still haven't find the solution. Whether through the draft, trades or free agency, nothing has worked.  It's been a combination of poor coaching and bad luck. There are plenty of teams in the league that have done more with less talent on offense and that’s primarily due to finding the right quarterback that made those players better. The Jets have no choice but to keep trying until they hit at the most important position on the field.

For anyone who was a fan of the old NBC show Heroes, the most popular line that fans remember was "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World!". For the 2026 New York Jets, the tagline should be "Find the Quarterback, Save the Season!"  If they find the right quarterback, they'll also save the head coach’s job.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Are the New York Jets only a quarterback away on offense?