New York Jets 2026 positional breakdown: Wide receivers & tight ends
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 NFL offseason has officially begun and the New York Jets will look to improve on a disastrous 3-14 season in Aaron Glenn's first year as head coach. Glenn recently overhauled his coaching staff and now it's time to overhaul the roster as he'll need to show massive improvement in 2026 if he wants to have a job in 2027.
Jets Wire will break down each position on the roster to see if improvements are needed and the possible solutions to fix what's broken.
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For our next breakdown, it is the wide receiver and tight end positions:
Wide Receiver / Tight End Depth Chart
Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, John Metchie III, Arian Smith, Isaiah Williams, Mason Taylor (TE), Jeremy Ruckert (TE), Jelani Woods (TE)
2025 Review
Jets fans breathed a sigh of relief when GM Darren Mougey made Garrett Wilson one of the highest paid receivers in the league before the start of last season. Wilson was starting to show signs of unhappiness and there were reports circulating that he was looking for a trade. However, it was a huge win for the Jets to get a new deal done with one of their best players. He's been a terrific leader for this organization and deserves the lucrative contract he received from the team.
Unfortunately, Wilson dealt with multiple injuries that limited him to only eight games and the Jets didn't have the depth to withstand his loss. Their "Low Risk, High Potential" strategy did very little to help the offense as Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson made no impact whatsoever. That put Arian Smith, the team's 2025 fourth round pick, into a role where he needed to grow up fast and wasn't ready to take on a bigger role. He struggled to the point where he lost reps to Williams, who was one of the top kick returners in the league last year and the team's MVP.
Mougey made a couple of moves to add some depth, acquiring Metchie from the Eagles for Michael Carter II. Metchie was fine and probably could have had a bigger impact if there was better quarterback play. The Jets didn't tender Metchie as a restricted free agent which would have resulted in a cap hit of $3.5 million for this season. He's now an unrestricted free agent and can receive offers from other teams. It was the right move as his numbers didn't make him worthy of that amount of money. But, it doesn't necessarily close the door on him returning to the team either on a lower salary.
As part of the Sauce Gardner trade, the Jets received Mitchell, the Colts 2024 second-round pick. While he had some drops, Mitchell still had a 100 yard receiving game and two touchdowns in eight games with the Jets. His speed and ability to separate from the secondary were on display and he will have a bigger role in the offense next season.
For the Tight End position, Taylor was the team's 2025 second-round pick and put up some strong rookie numbers. He would have easily surpassed 50 receptions if not for a neck injury that cost him the remainder of the season after only 11 games. Ruckert's stats don't look impressive on paper, but he was more involved in the offense and his blocking improved dramatically compared to the previous season. Woods played very little after being claimed off waivers before the start of the season. He has experience playing under new offensive coordinator Frank Reich and there's hope he can unlock Woods's potential.
How Can The Jets Improve The Position?
Free Agency
The free agent wide receivers available aren't very strong and the top two available are most likely to return to their respective teams on new contracts. Bucs receiver Mike Evans heads this list and while he's still an elite receiver, he'll turn 33 in August and durability is beginning to be an issue. Evans only played eight games for the Bucs last season and he'll most likely want to go to a contender or finish his career in Tampa.
Alec Pierce will be heavily pursued by a number of teams if the Colts don't lock him up to a new contract before the "legal tampering" period begins on Monday. Pierce is an excellent deep threat and he's averaged over 20 yards per reception in his last two seasons. He would be the perfect compliment for Wilson, but there are plenty of contending teams with cap space that he could find more interesting than the Jets.
Other notable receivers available include the Giants' Wan'dale Robinson, the Niners Jauan Jennings and Green Bay's Romeo Doubs. Out of those receivers, Robinson could be the best option. He's had two seasons with close to 100 receptions, had his first 1,000 yard season last year and knows New York very well. However, he's rumored to sign with the Tennessee Titans and reunite with his former head coach, Brian Daboll.
I wouldn't expect the Jets to add a free agent tight end as they'll see if Taylor can improve on his rookie numbers with a full season under his belt. The Jets already re-signed Ruckert and will look to him to build off last season. Woods has the size (6'7", 253 lbs.) and could carve out a role with a strong training camp.
Atlanta's Kyle Pitts and Philadelphia's Dallas Goedert are the top free agents on the board at the position. However, one player flying under the radar that could fit with the Jets is Baltimore's Charlie Kolar. He showed plenty of potential as a third option behind Isaiah Likely, also a free agent, and Mark Andrews. The Ravens may opt to retain Kolar and pair him with Andrews. If he becomes available, he could be an intriguing option for the Jets.
The 2026 Draft
The Jets could bypass free agency and look to the draft for a wide receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson. Ohio State's Carnell Lake and USC's Makai Lemon are the top two options and could be available when they select at #16. Washington's Denzel Boston and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson are also considered first-round receivers and could be available with the Jets pick.
The 2026 wide receiver class is very deep and the Jets could look to the second round as well with options such as Texas A&M's KC Concepcion, Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. and Louisville's Chris Bell available. The Jets have four picks in the first two rounds and it would be a bit surprising if one of those selections wasn't used on a wide receiver.
It's not likely the Jets will select a tight end with one of their Day 1 or Day 2 picks. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq is considered the top prospect at the position and the only way the Jets would consider selecting him is if they trade back into the first round. Other options include Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers, Ohio State's Max Klare and Stanford's Sam Roush. If they choose to add to this position during draft weekend, it will most likely be with one of their Day 3 picks.
Way Too Early 2026 Prediction
It's clear the Jets need depth behind Wilson as when he got injured, they didn't have anyone left that was intimidating to opposing defenses. While Mitchell and Metchie III showed some potential, they weren't added to later in the season. Reynolds, Johnson and Smith were non-existent and the team suffered because of it.
I expect the Jets to see how the market plays out for a few of the free agent receivers not named Mike Evans or Alec Pierce. There are reports that Robinson could get around $15 million/year, which is very high and definitely out of the Jets price range. A second receiver like Jennings or Minnesota's Jalen Nailor could make more sense to go along with Wilson, Mitchell and Smith in his second season.
Taylor and Ruckert are locked in at tight end this season and if the Jets do add another, it will most likely be through the draft. However, they should leave no stone unturned when it comes to improving this offense and adding a veteran would be a wise move if the price is right.
At the end of the day, it won't matter if the Jets don't find the right quarterback to get them the ball and that will be priority number one before addressing improving the passing game at either wide receiver or tight end.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: New York Jets 2026 positional breakdown: Wide receivers & tight ends