All of the recent chatter about the Jets this offseason has been about the quarterback position. This is rightfully so, as the Jets QB situation is among the worst in the NFL right now. Fans and analysts had been sparking debate over the draft’s potential players during the season. The dust has settled on that front, and it is not pretty. The draft’s only top guys are Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. Mendoza will probably be a Raider, and Simpson was not impressive down the stretch. So what do the Jets do now?
The answer is simpler than you think. The Jets had one of the worst defenses in football in 2025, ranking bottom-5 in rushing yards allowed per game and points allowed per game. They also ranked 2nd-to-last in sacks and last in takeaways. Finally, they set an NFL record-low in interceptions with zero. The Jets’ defense must be improved in 2026, and these offseason moves could do just that.
D.J. Reader – DT, Lions
Reader makes a lot of sense for a Jets defensive line that very much lacks depth. He could easily slide into the third defensive tackle spot as a solid run defender and a better rusher than Harrison Phillips. The latter is very important; Reader’s pass rush win rate was 10.2% in 2025, while Phillips’ was a mere 4%. For a team that lacked juice at pass rush, Reader could help. D.J. Reader also played under Aaron Glenn in 2024 on the Lions, so there’s familiarity there. If Aaron Glenn wants to build a culture, getting a veteran who knows him as a coach is a great way to do that. Finally, it wouldn’t be that expensive either. Spotrac’s calculated market value for Reader is currently a 2-year, $7.6 million contract. That is doable and frankly, worth it. The Jets should be all over Reader in March.
Alontae Taylor – CB, Saints
Taylor would make a lot of sense for a Jets defense that wants to improve their rate of producing turnovers. Through his first four years in the league with New Orleans, Taylor had 8.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four interceptions. This type of disruption is similar to a defensive back who Aaron Glenn loved while he was in Detroit – Brian Branch. In his first three seasons with the Lions, he had 6.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, and seven interceptions. While Taylor can’t measure up to Branch’s play, there’s promise there in that Glenn could help him become that level of player. Now, this could create a point of contention with Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who plays the same position as Alontae Taylor at slot cornerback. However, this shouldn’t be the case as Brownlee was inconsistent in 2025 and ended the year on injured reserve. This would be a fun and ideally productive signing for the Jets.
Sonny Styles – LB, Ohio State
After two free agents, it’s time to talk about the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s very early in the process, but multiple defensive players are getting a lot of hype. One of those guys is Sonny Styles, the lead linebacker for one of the best defenses in the country. He has great size for the position, listed at 6’5″, 243 lbs. on the team’s roster (official measurements will probably be different). To go with that size, he is incredibly skilled at playing his position. He had a stellar PFF defense grade of 88.5. His most notable grade from the Jets’ perspective should be coverage, though. The Jets lacked coverage from the LB spot in 2025 as both Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams were subpar in that area. Styles could help change that. He had a coverage grade of 86.9, which ranked 4th out of Power 5 linebackers with at least 238 coverage snaps. He should be in play for the Jets at the 16th overall pick. It would be a very similar process to Aaron Glenn and the Lions drafting Jack Campbell in the 2023 draft at 18th overall, which panned out quite well.
Sign me up for Ohio St LB Sonny Styles! Perfect for today’s NFL. 6’4 3/8 237 LB former safety with outstanding instincts, range and physicality. Gives me Fred Warner vibes. The game vs Indiana is a highlight tape.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) January 14, 2026
David Bailey – EDGE, Texas Tech
Finally, the Jets need another EDGE player after both Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald struggled in 2025. Thankfully, this is a really good class to need one. This piece will highlight David Bailey, but there are multiple talented EDGE rushers at the top of this class. Some of those names include Rueben Bain Jr., Cashius Howell, and Keldric Faulk. Sticking with Bailey, though, he had a dominant 2025. He had an incredible 81 pressures, 15 sacks, 23 QB hits, 21.3% pass rush win rate, and two forced fumbles this season. He performed very well in the team’s two most important outings as well. In the Big 12 championship game, as well as their only playoff game, Bailey registered 8 pressures, 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, and a forced fumble. He should absolutely be in play for the Jets at the second overall pick, as he could seriously impact the defense.
Just like he has done all season, David Bailey was a menace for Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.
NFL teams covet this type of disruption on the edge. pic.twitter.com/3rG9Y3nzfC
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 2, 2026
These moves could be all for naught if the Jets miss on a defensive coordinator again, but the potential these four names would bring to this unit is immense.