As Jets fans wake up on Thanksgiving morning, they find themselves in a familiar place. Essentially out of the playoffs even before they get a turkey dinner. Once again, they will not play any meaningful games in December (at least meaningful to them) and they will watch as other fan bases sweat over playoff clinching scenarios and seeding.

But Jets fans don’t have to be all gloom and doom at the dinner table this year. There are a few reasons to be hopeful. I know, I know, you have heard the “be hopeful” speech for almost a decade and a half now but allow me to give you at least a few reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

The New GM will have some things to work with

When Joe Douglas took over six years ago, he took over a team that had no offensive linemen worth holding on to and even less that you could call a “weapon”. That will not be the case for whoever takes over in 2025. The Jets reasonably have four out of five offensive linemen set for the next year or so, with the lone exception being right tackle. Morgan Moses is in the final year of his contract, and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that the Jets bring him back.

Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Braelon Allen are all still on rookie deals and the new GM will have an opportunity to endear himself to a large portion of the team by giving Breece and Wilson large new deals that will keep them with the team and show he appreciates the current talent.

He will have most of his draft picks available to him as the Jets will have selections in rounds one through six including two in rounds five and six. Thanks to the Davante Adams trade, the Jets can wipe out a lot of the cap space issues next year by also cutting the 31-year-old wide receiver.

The defense will still have some young talent and even a few tradable pieces if the new GM wants to put his own stamp on the team. Apart from working for Woody Johnson, the job isn’t as bad as it could be. Speaking of Woody Johnson…

Woody Johnson might be headed back to the UK

Sure, Woody Johnson has done his best in making the GM job as unappealing as possible with his antics since Week 5, but Woody might not be around for too long. Sure, he will make sure he is around to hire the next GM and head coach, but after that we could see Woody headed overseas.

The last time President Trump was in office, he made his friend Woody the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and many in the Jets organization believe he will be asked to serve his country again when Trump takes office in January.

This will leave Woody’s brother, Christopher running the Jets organization. While Christopher Johnson didn’t do very well in his first go-around running the team, there is some hope that he will learn from his mistakes, unlike his brother who seems to think he can dig his way out of a hole. Woody overseas is a huge plus for the Jets and their fans.

It can’t get worse

I hate to say this is rock bottom, because we have seen new low after new low. But with the expectations being what they were going into this season, to currently be sitting at 3-8, this feels like the lowest of the low.

Expectations next year will not nearly reach the levels they were at in 2024, no matter who the GM, coach, or QB is next season. Jets fans are too jaded to feel this again. While I don’t completely blame Aaron Rodgers for this season, he is likely gone and with it, his two yards per play. The Jets will get a coach in the building who has a full offseason and training camp to get his players and his staff ready for a 17-game season, unlike what happened to poor Jeff Ulbrich this year.

Things will get better because they have to. There’s no other way to look at it.

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So, enjoy the turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and stuffing Jets fans. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for everything you have in your lives. Including the hardships that will make the victories that much sweeter. Speaking of which, I have to go. Dessert is served.