The New York Jets don’t give fans a lot of reasons to feel good. That’s nothing new. But I’ve been looking at the investments this organization has made in the trenches over the last four NFL drafts, and I think there’s genuine cause for optimism, even if the wins haven’t followed yet.

What got me thinking was Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick out of Texas Tech, getting asked recently about going against right tackle Armond Membou in practice. Membou, of course, being New York’s first-round pick in 2025 out of Missouri.

Bailey was raving about the type of player Membou is, and it clicked for me: these two young guys represent something bigger that’s been building on both sides of the line.

Four drafts, two regimes, one clear priority

Take a look back to the Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh era. In 2023, they selected edge rusher Will McDonald IV out of Iowa State in the first round. In 2024, they followed it up with left tackle Olu Fashanu out of Penn State, also in the first round. Neither McDonald IV nor Fashanu were expected to contribute much as rookies, and both have already turned into solid players for the Jets.

Then Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn took over, and the investment continued. New York grabbed Membou in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and this year the Jets took Bailey in the first round along with tight end Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr (Indiana). The trenches have been the priority across two completely different front office and coaching regimes.

That’s not a coincidence. It’s a philosophy.

The quarterback problem isn’t going away

Now look, the Jets obviously still have a lot of issues. I think it’s obviously fair to say they haven’t solved the quarterback position with 35-year-old Geno Smith, who is a band-aid for the franchise. They’re going to have to hit on a quarterback in the draft at some point soon. But the foundation of this team and the youth on this roster should leave fans with real optimism about the future. Plus, rookie quarterbacks tend to have quicker success when the talent around them is up to par, which is what the Jets are slowly but surely continuing to do.

I know that sounds rough considering this franchise’s history, but games are won and lost in the trenches. The Jets are solidifying bookends on both their offensive and defensive lines with talented young tackles and talented young edge rushers. That matters more than people give it credit for. And let’s be real, as much talk as there is about quarterbacks in sports media, no team is doing anything of significance with abysmal line play. Especially on both sides of the ball.

What it means for 2026 and beyond

I don’t know what any of this means for this year, specifically. New York may not be any good, they may fire Glenn halfway through the season, and heck these young additions may not matter too much in 2026. Who knows? But what I do know is that whether we actually believe it or not, the Jets are laying a foundation for their football team, and that is something to be hopeful about.

The Jets loaded up with picks this year, grabbing three in the first round. They’ve got multiple first-round picks next year as well, thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade with Indianapolis. Of course we naturally get enamored with the skill players. The quarterbacks, the receivers, the running backs, the DBs, the linebackers… everyone but offensive and defensive linemen, really. But arguably, the trenches are the most important part of the game, and the Jets are loading up in those respective rooms.

I think the real optimism with the New York Jets is that they are establishing a core young nucleus of talented football players who can help this team in the future with key pieces on both the offensive and defensive line. The Jets don’t get a lot of wins, but we’ve got to take the good when we can get it. I think all of this is good, and should provide plenty of optimism for the future of the franchise. Of course though, we must take into account that these are the New York Jets.