No one, not even the most ardent member of the Gang Green fanbase, expects the New York Jets to be Super Bowl contenders this year. Even hoping for a playoff appearance is a bit of a stretch. Still, there’s a reason that the Jets' decision to clean house last year was met with universal praise: the roster is too talented to win just five games.
At almost every position group, the Jets have at least one superstar. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Garrett Wilson, both with fresh new contracts, are among the very best of cornerbacks and receivers. Quinnen Williams is a Top 5 defensive tackle. Even the O-line and running back rooms are expected to take big leaps forward in 2025.
The only truly underwhelming position group for the Jets just happens to be the most important of all, and that’s what ESPN identified as New York’s biggest weakness for the 2025 season.
Writing for ESPN, Mike Clay had this to say about the Jets’ quarterback situation: “It has yet to be determined if [Justin Fields] can establish himself as an impact NFL starter. Fields, who was benched after six starts in Pittsburgh last season, has a career 47.1 QBR, which ranks 29th out of 34 qualified QBs during the span. He's a high-impact player as a rusher, but hasn't finished a season with 2,600 yards or 18 TDs through the air.”
That’s a brutal assessment, and not inaccurate. While it’s perfectly understandable for Jets fans to be excited about the potential that the 26-year-old Fields still has, potential doesn’t win games. Actual talent and ability to perform on the field wins games, and that’s what Fields hasn’t yet proven to be capable of. In fact, in an alarming stat, Fields is a shocking 0-22 when opponents score more than 21 points. That’s the kind of stat that almost doesn’t feel possible, but it is.
If the Jets are to have any hope of ending their 14-year playoff drought in 2025, either Justin Fields must finally become the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be, or the entire rest of the roster will have to make a Herculean effort to drag themselves into the postseason. Neither of these options are attractive or probable.
Jets fans don’t need to despair (yet). There’s good reason to believe that this season will be better than the last, but I would keep my expectations in check.