New York Jets star wide receiver Garrett Wilson views a playoff appearance in the upcoming season as "very realistic," expressing a high standard for the team.
"I think it should happen. I'll say that. It's our job to go play ball and do it, but that's how I feel about it," Wilson told ESPN. He added that "something is going to happen this year" due to the team's dedication.
The Jets are seeking to break the longest playoff drought in professional American sports. The franchise has not posted a winning season since 2015 and has not reached the postseason since 2010.
Offseason Changes
The team has made significant changes in its coaching staff, appointing Frank Reich as the new offensive coordinator and Brian Duker as the new defensive coordinator. Reich previously served as head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, and Stanford. Duker was an assistant under former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn with the Detroit Lions.
On the player front, the Jets acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders and signed guard Dylan Parham to a two-year, $16 million deal. In the 2026 NFL Draft, the team selected tight end Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon with the No. 16 pick and traded up to select wide receiver Omar Cooper from Indiana with the No. 30 pick.
Defensively, the Jets drafted defensive end David Bailey of Texas Tech with the No. 2 overall pick. They also acquired safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins and signed linebacker Demario Davis to a two-year, $22 million contract. Additional defensive acquisitions include cornerback Nahshon Wright (one-year, $3.5 million deal), defensive end Joseph Ossai (three-year, $34.5 million deal), and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (one-year, $9 million deal).
Wilson, who was selected by the Jets with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and signed a four-year, $130 million extension in July 2025, was limited to seven games in the 2025 season due to a knee injury. He recorded 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns during that time. In his first three seasons (2022-2024), Wilson averaged 93 receptions for 1,083 receiving yards and 4.7 touchdowns per year without missing a game.
The Jets will begin their 2026 regular season campaign on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Notably, Titans head coach Robert Saleh previously led the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024.