This is not your father’s Jets or your grandfather’s Jets, or even your Jets, for that matter.
Things are different around One Jets Drive for the first time in what feels like the franchise’s history. Instead of going into a season wondering what could possibly go wrong, there is an air of confidence surrounding Gang Green.
This team should be making the playoffs, not wondering what could break their way around the league to potentially sneak in.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest storylines this season before it kicks off on Monday night in Santa Clara against the 49ers.
New York Jets biggest storylines in 2024
Aaron Rodgers is healthy and the Jets’ offense is good
The Jets’ prodigal son, even in his advanced football age, has a clean bill of health and finally gets to resume the crusade that was derailed four snaps into last season.
Even at 40, Rodgers is still one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and he is projected to smash single-season franchise records in 2024.
Instead of putting all of his eggs in the Rodgers basket, though, general manager Joe Douglas did everything he could to ensure that the sky would not fall if the future Hall-of-Famer went down with an injury again.
Tyrod Taylor is a proven backup who knows how to win games when called upon, so the wheels will not fall off under center like it did last year.
Granted, the supporting cast around Rodgers is so much better. The offensive line has been bolstered with the acquisitions of Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, and John Simpson.
That is the foundation that should see Breece Hall reach 1,000 yards rushing and give Rodgers enough time to pick out his growing list of targets headlined by star receiver Garrett Wilson and the newly-acquired veteran Mike Williams.
This is no longer a team reliant on defense. Instead, they are a force on both sides of the ball.
The defense should only get stronger, but a huge question mark still looms
That is hard to believe considering just how well they performed under coordinator Jeff Ulbrich last season. New York’s defense ranked third in the NFL in total yards allowed and first in yards allowed per play. All the while, they held their opponents to just 20.9 points per game.
If it is not broke, do not fix it, and that is exactly what the Jets did.
The defense is largely unchanged, boasting some of the best in the league at their respective positions, most notably defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Gang Green’s pass rush should be daunting, but a major unknown still lingers above the franchise as they prepare for Week 1.
Their marquee acquisition during the offseason, edge rusher Haason Reddick, is still holding out as he searches for a new contract. He is one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL and the Jets parted with considerable assets to get him, but there has been little resolution to the stalemate as of Wednesday.
The AFC East is up for grabs
While the Buffalo Bills are still narrowly favored to win the division, this is not the same powerhouse team that was a popular pick for the Super Bowl over the last few years.
Stefon Diggs is gone, the largest piece of a significant roster turnover that has provided some uncertainty up in Orchard Park. Can Josh Allen be the guy to single-handedly carry his team to the playoffs? We’re not so sure.
The gap has closed significantly, especially with the high-octane Miami Dolphins also being in the thick of the conversation within the division. Tua Tagovailoa has an embarrassment of explosive riches at his disposal with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle alongside the two-headed running attack of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane.
The Jets, however, have the offensive firepower to support a defense that will be a top-three unit in the NFL this season. That is what sets New York apart from the Dolphins and Bills — both of whom could have top-10 defenses of their own. But Gang Green’s unit should be a head and shoulder (or two) above their division rivals.
