The wait is finally over! Almost six months have passed since the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 thrilling overtime victory in Super Bowl LVIII, and the 2024-2025 NFL season is nearly upon us. Since the Chiefs’ victory, there have been many headlines dominating the off-season. CeeDee Lamb finally got the contract he was looking for, inking a four-year $136 million extension to stay with the Cowboys. The Atlanta Falcons shocked many by drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, despite signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal worth $180 million. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles have an ongoing feud over who would win in a foot race. However, one story missing from headlines that should be blasting daily talk shows is that the New York Jets are legitimate playoff contenders.
While I never thought I would say these words in my entire life, how can anyone deny the talent of the New York Jets? Players such as C.J. Mosley, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams give New York a case for having the best defense in the league. Former Eagles defensive end, Haason Reddick, is also joining the squad for the 2024-2025 campaign, albeit he is holding out seeking a new deal. Not only are the New York linebackers and defensive line stacked to the brim, but the secondary is as good as it gets. According to PFF, Gardner, Michael Carter II and D.J. Reed all rank in the top 15 in the NFL as cornerbacks. I argue that Gardner is the best defensive back in the league. The Detroit native has only been in the NFL for two seasons, but his resume is loaded and he continues to get better. Gardner was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022—the first rookie since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to be a first-team All-Pro member. The 23-year-old only allowed a single touchdown and 31 catches on 55 targets last year. The fact that Gardner only saw 55 pass attempts for the season speaks volumes to how well he locks up his matchup and shuts down any opportunity for quarterbacks to make high percentage throws.
While the Jets offense is not as talented as their defense is, it has potential to be the league’s best. Of course, the biggest question coming into this season is what version of Aaron Rodgers will New York get this year? While some are questioning his ability to sling the football at age 40, coming off of a torn Achilles, I still see the veteran signal-caller performing at a high level. Rodgers is a four-time regular season MVP and has a history of bouncing back from severe injuries at a high level—although nothing as serious as a torn Achilles. In week six of 2017, Rodgers broke his collarbone after enduring a hit on a routine scramble against the Minnesota Vikings. Despite this, Rodgers returned for a game in week 14 against the Carolina Panthers but sat out the last two weeks, as his team was out of playoff contention. However, three years later, the former Packer had arguably his best season yet. Rodgers threw a career-high 48 touchdowns. He accumulated nearly 4,300 yards through the air, while only turning the rock over five times—good enough to earn him his third career MVP. Despite this success, Rodgers did not have the best end to his career in Green Bay. The former Packer missed the 4,000-yard mark in his final year with the team, the first time since his injury riddled 2017 season, and threw a whopping 12 interceptions. While he may not be in the same form as he was nearly five years ago, Rodgers did not have his All-Pro wide receiver, Davante Adams, which certainly contributed to this decline. Despite Adams not being on the Jets this season, New York has someone with the potential to be even better, and that is none other than Garrett Wilson.
Nobody screams elite as much as Wilson does this season. Wilson built a rapport over the past year with the future Hall of Famer and, even with Zach Wilson behind center last season, the 24-year-old has demonstrated the ability to be one of the game’s best. While his splits of 95, 1,042 and three rank him near the back of the league as far as starters are concerned, they do not tell the story of the talented receiver he is. Wilson fried man coverage last season, beating his defender almost 80 percent of the time and putting him in the 96th percentile of all eligible receivers last season. Wilson also did a good job of beating the zone, winning his route at an 83 percent clip, again near the top of the league. Now, pair that raw talent with the experienced arm of Rodgers, and it’s easy to see why the Jets have the best chance at winning the AFC East since the Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez days. This doesn’t even mention the elite play of running back Breece Hall down the stretch of last season, which is why many experts believe the 23-year-old will break out as one of the league’s best backs.
For the first time in a long time, the Jets are contenders. Whether they are on the same level as teams like Kansas City and San Francisco has yet to be seen, as there are questions surrounding how effective Rodgers will be this season. However, make no mistake. If this team plays up to its potential and gets a little bit of luck on its side, they could make a little bit of history at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.