Grading the Jets' 2025-26 season: Players, coaches and the front office

After a difficult 2024-25 season, the Jets put new leadership in place ahead of this season -- with owner Woody Johnson determined to be patient with the new head coach and general manager. That patience was tested as the Jets started off 0-7. While they bounced back and were competitive in the middle part of the season, the Jets were blown out in each of their last five games and ended up with just three wins.

The trades made at the deadline signified that Gang Green is looking ahead, but they have a lot to work on in the offseason. They have plenty of resources to improve the roster, but the pressure to get results will be high given how the season ended.

Here are the grades:

QB Justin Fields

After a debut that promised so much, Fields' confidence fell apart and he was benched multiple times before being shut down at the end of the year. He looks highly unlikely to be back for the second year of his contract. Remarkably, Fields threw just one interception in his nine starts. But he was held under 60 passing yards in four of them as he seemed afraid to take a risk and was not as dynamic of a runner as in the past.

GRADE: F

RB Breece Hall

Hall heads to free agency after surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career, although his pass game production fell off. It's unclear whether Hall is likely to return, but he was the main offensive weapon down the stretch and showed some toughness to keep playing hard while being the main focus of the opposing defense's attention.

GRADE: B

TE Mason Taylor

Taylor led the Jets with 44 catches in his rookie season. He only had one touchdown - the game-winner in Cincinnati on a pass from Hall - and durability is a minor concern after he missed four games and was bothered by a series of minor injuries throughout the season. However, the second-round pick looks like a solid player for the years ahead.

GRADE: C+

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) warms upon before an NFL Week 10 game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 / Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TE Jeremy Ruckert

Ruckert had been a disappointment for most of his first three seasons as a Jet, but he had his best season and was rewarded with a two-year extension. He will never be a star, but he complements Taylor well.

GRADE: C-

WR Garrett Wilson

Wilson got off to a great start with 33 catches for 382 yards and four touchdowns in the first five games. That was enough to lead the team in yards and touchdown receptions. However, he only played two more games due to a series of knee problems and was a non-factor from early October on. Deadline additions John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell started most of the second half and could compete to join Wilson in the starting lineup in 2026.

GRADE: C

WR/KR/PR Isaiah Williams

After a rocky start, Williams established himself as one of the league's best return men as he was fourth in the league for average on punt returns and second on kickoff returns. In addition, he worked his way into the receiver rotation, catching 26 passes -- including 21 in the last five games to lead the team.

GRADE: A-

OT Olu Fashanu

Fashanu's second season was solid, as he benefited from all five of the opening day starters remaining healthy all season and starting 17 games each. One real area of improvement was in terms of penalties, where he only had three all season. Last season, he had seven penalties despite starting just seven games.

GRADE: C+

G John Simpson

Simpson's first year with the Jets was very good, but he wasn't as consistent in 2025. He had 10 offensive penalties and gave up five sacks, after having only seven penalties and three sacks allowed last season. The Jets face a tough decision on Simpson, who is a free agent but reportedly keen to return.

GRADE: C-

G Joe Tippmann

A season-ending injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker on the eve of the season threw the Jets' plans into turmoil, but Tippmann was able to make the transition from center to guard fairly seamlessly. He's open to playing either role next year.

GRADE: C

Jun 10, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets offensive tackle Armand Membou (70) looks on during minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. / John Jones-Imagn Images

OT Armand Membou

The Jets' top draft pick had a terrific start to the season and will be a well-deserving member of the All-Rookie team. He wasn't perfect as he led the team in sacks allowed and offensive penalties, but it was a strong first season from a player who looks set to go from strength to strength over the next few years.

GRADE: B-

C Josh Myers

Myers ended up playing every snap after initially being lined up for a reserve role. He added a steadying veteran presence to the line and was rewarded with a two-year extension close to the end of the season. However, it's not certain he'll be the starter again next season. The Jets may opt to bring both Simpson and Vera-Tucker back and revert to the initial group they had planned for 2025. With Vera-Tucker's bad injury luck, though, Myers would give them a necessary and viable Plan B if that's the way they go.

GRADE: C-

DE Will McDonald IV

McDonald was easily New York's best pass rusher, although his consistency was questioned at various points of the season. His best game saw him tie the franchise record with four sacks against the Browns, but he struggled to build on that and ended up with 8.5 sacks -- two fewer than last year. The Jets now need to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option.

GRADE: C

DE Jermaine Johnson

Johnson, who is under contract on his own fifth-year option for next season, is still not fully recovered from his 2025 Achilles tear, according to recent comments from head coach Aaron Glenn. At times, he has looked like his old self, but his overall production was disappointing as he had just three sacks and six quarterback hits in 14 games. The Jets will expect more from him next season with a full offseason to hopefully get healthy.

GRADE: C-

DE Micheal Clemons

The much-maligned Clemons started six games and saw plenty of playing time once again. He only had one sack but did a solid job against the run for the most part and improved his discipline after being criticized for some early-season penalties. He is a free agent now and it will be interesting to see how he is viewed around the league.

GRADE: C-

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams (56) celebrates after a defensive stop during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

DT Harrison Phillips

We aren't assigning a grade to Quinnen Williams, who was traded at the deadline, but his absence was felt following his departure. It fell upon Phillips to pick up some of the slack, and he was one of New York's best run defenders, although they struggled badly in that area at times. Phillips brings leadership and is popular with the media, but it isn't easy to fill the void left by a player like Williams.

GRADE: B-

DT Jowon Briggs

Briggs was a low-cost trade acquisition prior to the start of the season and settled into a rotational role nicely, then he became a starter when Williams was traded. He was second on the team to McDonald for sacks, quarterback hits, and tackles for loss and looks like a useful piece for the years ahead.

GRADE: B

LB Jamien Sherwood

Sherwood was in the first year of the big-money extension he signed during the offseason and racked up a team-high 154 tackles. However, he had some issues in coverage, and the Jets had a lot of schematic breakdowns. While Sherwood was usually not the player at fault in these breakdowns, he bears part of the responsibility as the defensive signal caller and wearer of the headset. He has been candid about how he knows he needs to play better next season.

GRADE: C-

LB Quincy Williams

Williams struggled to adapt to the defensive system and has never been able to form the same kind of partnership with Sherwood as he once did with C.J. Mosley. He missed time due to injury, then was benched in the middle of the season and was repeatedly exploited in coverage down the stretch. After his brother was traded to Dallas, Williams' play was extremely disappointing. He looks like a player who will welcome a change of scenery as his contract has expired.

GRADE: D

S Andre Cisco

Cisco was a full-time starter for the first eight games but then got injured and missed the rest of the season. Like many of the players being graded here, he had his moments but didn't make enough big plays. It's not surprising that such a pattern would be prevalent on a team that set the all-time record for the fewest defensive turnovers in a season and failed to intercept a pass all year.

GRADE: C-

Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) reacts against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

S Tony Adams

Adams started nine games, although it probably would have been less had Cisco not gotten injured. Adams and Cisco are both free agents.

GRADE: C-

S Malachi Moore

The rookie broke into the starting lineup in September and ultimately started 14 games as he was the Jets' best safety. He made rookie mistakes at times, but was the only player on the team involved in more than one turnover as he forced one turnover and recovered another.

GRADE: C+

CB Brandon Stephens

Many Jets fans felt Stephens was a poor signing and that his contract -- $36 million over three seasons -- was far too big. However, he was a rare success story for Glenn's staff as he performed well, leading the team with nine pass breakups. Stephens managed to maintain that level of play even after Sauce Gardner was traded, exposing him to more matchups with opposing number ones. He looked to be forming a promising duo with Azareye'h Thomas, until the rookie got hurt.

GRADE: B-

CB Jarvis Brownlee

Brownlee was a useful trade pickup and, although injuries limited him to just seven appearances, his time in the lineup coincided with when the defense played their most consistent football of the season. His impact was immediate, as his forced fumble broke the Jets' long turnover-less streak and his tenacious play brought a useful dimension to the defensive backfield. Penalties are a concern, but Brownlee will be part of the plan next season.

GRADE: B-

K Nick Folk

Folk's return saw him put together a phenomenal season with just one missed kick. He had a nice moment with his game-winner against the Falcons, but he's 41 and a free agent -- so the Jets might have to look for a new kicker.

GRADE: A

P Austin McNamara

McNamara was a terrific find and punted well all year, in addition to taking over kickoff duties. He ended up seventh in the league for net average and was second in terms of punts landed inside the 20 and lowest return yardage total.

GRADE: A

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn looks on during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Coaching Staff

Glenn took full responsibility for the team's struggles but has managed to keep his job despite the poor performance down the stretch. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was not so lucky as he was fired with a few weeks of the season remaining -- and the defense arguably was even worse without him. The jury is still out on offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, as the level of quarterback play doomed his offense to failure. At least special teams coordinator Chris Banjo can hold his head high.

GRADE: F

The Front Office

The team's struggles down the stretch underlined the fact that the roster was not deep enough and lacked the necessary talent to compete. However, general manager Darren Mougey and his staff deserve some credit for picking up useful pieces and a ton of draft capital via trades. The decision to deal Williams and Gardner was a tough one but has already paid dividends with the draft picks acquired proving more valuable than first thought due to the Colts and Cowboys struggling down the stretch. He needs to deliver with those selections, though.

GRADE: D

Overall

14 losses in a season is just one shy of the Jets' franchise record and it's fair to say that the season fell well short of expectations -- even though not many people would have considered the Jets to be a threat to make the postseason. The fact that they have a lot of draft capital, including the second overall pick in April, gives some reason for hope, but the Jets need to nail the draft and free agency to upgrade most aspects of their team.

GRADE: F