ESPN dished out it’s future power rankings this week and the New York Jets landed 29th out of 32 teams.

Honestly, it’s hard to argue with most of it.

A panel of four ESPN analysts (Ben Solak, Louis Riddick, Seth Walder, and Aaron Schatz) released the rankings, which graded every NFL franchise across four categories: overall roster excluding the quarterback, quarterback, coaching, and front office. Each category was scored on a 0-to-100 scale.

The Seattle Seahawks, for reference, finished first with an 88.9 overall score. The Jets? A 71.3, which is about as below average as it gets.

But before Jets fans spiral into the usual despair, there’s more to this than the bottom-line number suggests. Let’s break down where ESPN got it right, where there’s room for debate, and why there might actually be some light at the end of the tunnel.

ESPN’s grade for the Jets front office grade is deserved

The Jets’ highest mark came in the front office category, where they scored an 80, ranking 11th in the NFL. I agree with that. General manager Darren Mougey is young and heading into just his second year running the show, but he has made some sharp moves. His first draft brought in solid pieces such as Armand Membou, Mason Taylor, and Malachi Moore.

However, his second draft looks even better on paper when you look at the likes of David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., and De’Angelo Ponds. The trades of proven players like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were bold plays, but at the current moment they look to be strong decisions based on the Jets’ draft capital that was gained out of it. The Jets received three additional first round picks in these trades and have positioned themselves nicely in next year’s draft as well.

Now, if you’re asking me to factor Woody Johnson into this grade, the ranking drops considerably. But as far as the GM is concerned, Mougey has done a respectable job up to this point in building a foundation.

ESPN ranked the Jets dead last in coaching and it’s tough but fair

The Jets’ lowest mark came at coaching, where they scored a 63.5, ranking 32nd in the NFL. Dead last. And look, no offense to coach Aaron Glenn, but I kind of agree. He went 3-14 in his first year. I know it’s the Jets, but Glenn just hasn’t brought much to the table yet. He can obviously build on that with a stronger 2026 season and I would like to think that with the added pieces this offseason they will, but I truly think there’s a real chance it doesn’t work out and we seem him fired midway through the year.

If that happens, the next coaching hire becomes everything. Names like Mike Tomlin or Sean McDermott might sound appealing, but let’s be realistic. No offense to the organization, but it’s dysfunctional with Woody Johnson at the top. I don’t know if a veteran coach who had been fired elsewhere and had the experience of a lot of winning would want to get back into the NFL with the Jets.

More realistically, New York would be looking at a young, up-and-coming head coach willing to take on the challenge, but that is the way the league is trending and they could very well find a solid candidate in that pool. 

Quarterback and roster carry familiar questions

ESPN’s score for the Jets’ quarterback position was a 65.5, ranking 28th in the league. When your current starter is a band-aid in Geno Smith, that number makes sense. Geno isn’t the long-term solution. He’s in the final stage of his career and not a highly-ranked quarterback in the NFL.

I would not rule out rookie Cade Klubnik as potentially being the guy, but at the same time we have no tangible proof that he could be. I do think the Jets need to play him this season in order to get a real feel for what they could have in him.

If the 2027 quarterback class is as strong as expected with guys like Darian Mensah, Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, etc… The Jets should have no problem using one of their three first-round picks to find a franchise signal-caller.

The overall roster grade (excluding quarterback) came in at 74.25, ranking 23rd. I agree with that range. It’s a younger roster that’s been stocked through recent drafts, with a few veteran pieces that have been added through free agency and trades. The direction is trending the right way, and that’s what this ranking reflects. Nothing too high for these unproven players, but an acknowledgement of a foundation that is appearing to come together. 

The case for optimism

Ben Solak cited the Jets’ drafts and their stacking of first-round capital via trades as reasons for hope, pointing to young players like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Armand Membou. That’s where my personal hope comes from too. The young talent is real – now find a way to capitalize.

Louis Riddick raised the concern that sticks with me most: do Aaron Glenn and his staff have what it takes to turn this franchise around? I don’t believe so. But if the Jets can hire the right coach in the next cycle, if Glenn is to get fired, it could change everything.

Seth Walder made a bold prediction that the Jets will make the playoffs next year after drafting a high-end quarterback, and I think they could actually get it done. It’s going to take a lot, but the Jets have added serious young talent over the last couple of years. If New York can just land a quarterback who hits, and Woody Johnson can continue to let Darren Mougey do his thing, all the pieces they’ve built around the roster could come together fast — and that 2027 playoff prediction might actually come true.