The New York Jets’ playoff drought has reached 14 years — the longest active streak in the NFL. Their last postseason appearance came in 2010, ending with a 24-19 loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game. Had Rex Ryan’s squad won that day, they would’ve faced Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.
The 2024 season brought significant changes, with new head coach Aaron Glenn looking to chart a different course at quarterback. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports that Glenn wants to start fresh with his own signal-caller, despite Rodgers’ solid performance (28 touchdowns, 3,897 yards) last season.
Tyrod Taylor, 35, presents an in-house option, though he hasn’t been a regular starter since 2017.
The Jets are exploring multiple paths for their quarterback situation. Kirk Cousins could become available if Atlanta releases him, while free agent Justin Fields remains another possibility. There’s also growing interest in Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart ahead of the draft.
Dart, standing 6’2″ and weighing 215 pounds, impressed in his final collegiate season. He completed 69.3% of his passes for 4,279 yards, throwing 29 touchdowns against just 6 interceptions in 13 games. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein sees similarities between Dart and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, noting that Dart might be best suited for a balanced, ball-control offense.
New general manager Darren Mougey faces a crucial decision with the seventh overall pick in April’s draft. He joins the Jets after 13 seasons in Denver, where he witnessed rookie quarterback Jarrett Stidham help guide the Broncos to their first playoff appearance since 2015.