As the 2024 New York Jets reported for training camp, the organization paid tribute to its past with the unveiling of “The Classic” uniform.  “The Classic” is both a nod to the regalia the team wore in their 1968 championship season and the familiar design of the uniform worn from 1998-2018.

On Monday, Oct. 14^th, the team will debut “The Classic” when they host the Bills at MetLife Stadium.

“The Classic” fills the fourth available spot in the team’s “closet” and is part of a larger NFL platform. With white jerseys and white pants, the Jets classic uniform pays homage to the attire the team sported during their Super Bowl III landmark triumph over the Baltimore Colts. “The Classic” also has a clean front with no patch as a tribute to the ’68 jersey along with the same number and letter fonts.

The helmet, updated with a gray facemask to replicate the 1968 headgear, features the same white shell and the same logo from 1998-2018. The green in the decal and stripes matches the team’s current “Legacy Green”, which is an in-between shade between the 1968 Kelly Green and the 1998-2018 Hunter Green.

During the Jets’ April rebrand and unveiling of three “Legacy Collection” uniform versions, the team introduced the legacy black uniform/helmet as its alternate uniform. The Jets will don their black uniform on Halloween when they play host to the Houston Texans for a Thursday night clash.

With the “Legacy” and “Classic” ensembles reintroduced over the past four months, the Jets are making a return to their two most iconic identities to the field. Not only was “The Classic” worn for one of the most significant moments in pro football history but it provides the franchise an opportunity to highlight a uniform worn by 15 of its 19 players in its Ring of Honor. And on Oct. 14 vs. the Bills for one night only, the Jets will hit rewind to a familiar sight as a timeless tradition lives on.

The Jets will return to London in 2024, lining up as a visitor against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The game will kick off at 2:30pm locally in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The international contest will mark the Jets’ second game in Tottenham in three years. Also the “road” team at the stadium referred to by some as “New White Hart Lane,” the Jets dropped a 27-20 contest to the Atlanta Falcons in 2021.

On draft weekend, the Jets and the Vikings engaged in a pick-swap that saw the Vikings move up one spot in Round 1 to select Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy while the Jets dropped to No. 11, gaining valuable draft capital and selecting Penn State T Olu Fashanu.

Aaron Rodgers will be expected to make his Jets’ London debut after returning from an Achilles tear he sustained in the 2023 season opener against the Bills. In 29 regular-season games against the Vikings, the former Packers gunslinger owns a 17-11-1 mark while having hit on 68% of his passes for 7,157 yards with 57 TDs and 8 INTs.

The Jets defense could face Sam Darnold across the pond. Darnold, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, or McCarthy will look to get the ball into the hands of Justin Jefferson, who amassed 1,074 yards receiving in just 10 games last season and averaged 15.8 yards a catch. Sauce Gardner, the Jets’ two-time first-team All-Pro, has repeatedly stepped up to all his assignments stateside and will be poised for a marquee international individual matchup.

Garrett Wilson, the only Jet to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, had a career-high 162 yards receiving in the Jets’ 27-22 loss at Minnesota on Dec. 4, 2022.

This year’s London game will be the sixth game played by the Jets outside the United States. In the regular season, the Jets have won twice on the international stage, both Ws as road teams: by 19-13 over the Bills in Toronto in 2009 before a 27-14 takedown of the Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in 2015.

The Jets are 8-4 all-time vs. the Vikings and 3-3 when designated the road club in the series.

The NFL will feature five international games in 2024 with three designated in London: two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a third at Wembley Stadium, where the Jacksonville Jaguars will play a home game as part of a multi-year partnership. The Eagles and Packers will kick off the season Sept. 6 at Corinthians Arena in Sau Paulo Brazil São Paulo, Brazil. The NFL is also returning to Germany for a third consecutive season for a Panthers “home” game at Allianz Arena in Munich.

Since the NFL started playing internationally in 2005, a total of 50 international regular-season games have been staged with London (36), Toronto (6), Mexico City (5), Frankfurt (2) and Munich (1) all playing host to NFL teams.

The Jets full 2024 schedule has also been revealed, with the matchups detailed below along with UK & Ireland timings!

Unicorn, a fictional creature often used to describe highly unusual, highly exciting people, such as athletes, can also be applied to objects as well as subjects.

Such as the 2024 NFL Draft. As NFL Network’s Rich Eisen said with the seventh round winding down toward the Jets’ selection of Alabama S Jaylen Key as Mr. Irrelevant, “This draft has been record-setting on so many fronts.”

We’ll leave it to the national writers and talking heads to dissect how record-setting the draft truly was in terms of attendance, quarterbacks taken and then not taken, TV ratings and the depth of positions like wideout and tackle. But the same wild and woolly adjectives could be used to describe the Jets’ draft in microcosm.

In general, GM Joe Douglas and HC Robert Saleh seemed happy with the seven selections that were made over the last three days and nights.

“We felt like we had a lot of fun over the weekend,” Douglas said. “We added very good players to this team, and our types of guys,” Douglas said. “The board kind of fell our way and we were able to trade back and get guys we wanted.”

And the way it unfolded, this Jets draft was a unicorn in franchise history. Let us count the ways.

Offensive First 5 Selections

One quality that jumped out about the Green & White’s draft class: It was quite offensive.

For sure, the first five selections answered questions and filled holes on offense, from first-round T Olu Fashanu to Round 3 WR Malachi Corley to RBs Braelon Allen in the fourth round and Isaiah Davis in Round 5 to the anticipated day three selection of a QB prospect, and a promising one at that in FSU’s Jordan Travis, also in Round 5.

When was the last time the Jets took offensive players in even their first four selections? Those have been few and far between. The first Douglas/Saleh draft in ’21 had four offensive picks topped by QB Zach Wilson. Before that, we have to go back to 1983, marqueed by QB Ken O’Brien.

And the last Jets draft to go 5-for-its-first-5 on offense? This weekend’s draft was the first.

No secret that the Jets offense needed care and feeding this offseason, but Douglas swore the offensive avalanche was unintentional: “I think honestly it just fell that way with the board.”

A Cavalcade of Trades

Technically, for only the second time in franchise history, the Jets conducted an entire draft without spending one pick that was originally theirs when the full draft order was first established. We say technically because the Jets did hold onto No. 257, their third compensatory pick of this draft, the final pick of 2024 and thus the pick that identifies “Mr. Irrelevant.” It wasn’t a pick they started the offseason with but in March the comps were handed out and 257 then went to the Jets.

The only draft unquestionably without an “own pick” by the Jets was 2007, the Darrelle Revis/David Harris four-pick draft conducted by GM Mike Tannenbaum. Other Jets drafts with one own pick were 2022 (fourth overall CB Sauce Gardner the only own pick) and 2009 (sixth-round G Matt Slauson the only own pick).

“I was answering more calls today than making calls,” the GM said. “Calls were made, offers were made, we took a look at the board. … We were fired up to be able to move back, pick up a premium pick in ’25 [a fourth-rounder for next year’s No. 3 from Detroit in the first trade the Jets and Lions made in 15 years]. There were some pretty cool opportunities that came about.”

Most Draft Picks Held

The reason the Jets had no own picks is because they kept making those trades. Every one of their first six selections were acquired through trade. Douglas set personal records with four day-three trades and six total in-draft trades, and that doesn’t count a seventh trade, sending John Franklin-Myers to Denver for a Round 6 pick in 2026!

As a result of the trades, the Jets held, at one time or another, for a week, a day or a minute, 22 different draft choices. Seven they used on players. Fifteen they either held originally and traded, or traded for and then traded away.

Only once before in the NFL Common Draft era beginning in 1968 did the Jets hold 22 different picks in one draft, and that happened a full half-century ago. In 1974, the draft lasted 17 rounds. The Jets used 16 of their own picks that year, with Carl Barzilauskas going sixth overall up top. They traded for five other picks, and traded away one pick in a six-body deal with New Orleans. (In the AFL Draft days, the team annually had single draft selections rise into the mid-20s.)

Bottom Line ’24

All of these items are interesting but not necessarily important in the NFL scheme of things. Same goes for other trivia, such as fourth-round Braelon Allen being the youngest drafted player this year and will be 20 years old throughout his Jets rookie season. Or fifth-round DB Qwan’tez Stiggers being draft-eligible after a year in the CFL. Or Malachi Corley’s YAC dimension being available for a short tradeup to the top of Round 3.

But the trivia isn’t as important as what the Jets set out to accomplish over the past three days.

As Saleh said about this offseason’s offensive facelift, “It’s a good group all the way across the board. A lot of great competition, a lot of great character, a lot of guys coming in to work who are intrinsically motivated. We’ll throw it out there and see how the cards shake out.”

“I feel like we had a plan,” Douglas said, speaking of the entire roster. “We tried to keep the main thing the main thing throughout the offseason. We feel we stuck to what we tried to do and tried to avoid distractions and not waver from our process. We’ve been able to do that.

“Look, were excited about the team. We’re excited to get this thing going.”

Two months after Jets Chairman Woody Johnson informed fans the team will unveil new uniforms in April, a new legacy was born Monday morning. The Jets “Legacy Collection” with three uniform versions – legacy green, legacy white and legacy black – is a nod to the Sack Exchange era (1979-89) while modernizing and improving the iconic logo that resonates with all generations of fans.

“We work for the fans,” said Jets Chairman Woody Johnson. “They have consistently asked for us to return to our roots and we heard them. The new uniforms are explicitly designed to look and feel like the New York Jets while refreshing the club’s iconic logo – viewed by fans as our most identifiable mark.”

The team’s new regalia pay tribute to a historical time in the club’s history while taking advantage of technology advancements in the industry. The legacy jerseys will sport double-stripe shoulders and single-stripe pants, the same design the team wore from 1979-89.

“Recreating our uniforms, as well as developing a modernized look for the organization signifies our commitment to progress, remaining innovative, and delivering excellence to our players and fans,” said Jets president Hymie Elhai. “Elevating the New York Jets identity with a refreshed uniform embodies the unity, and a timeless sense of the Sack Exchange era, while empowering every player and generations of fans to stand out and stay true to our team’s heritage.”

The new Legacy uniforms include a refresher of the club’s iconic Sack Exchange logo, featuring custom typeface with bolder composition, a refined pointed nose of plane for a faster look and feel and tighter spacing between characters with consistent angles. The modernized Jets logo will be added to each helmet shell, with either a white or green face mask. Due to the popularity of the bespoke green and matte black, the helmet shells colors will remain the same.

A full suite of secondary logos has been developed to reinforce and expand the Jets brand identity. These logos incorporate key characteristics of the primary mark, including font, color and in some instances the distinctive shape of the Jet.

Jets fans have an opportunity to upgrade their wardrobe with the newest Jets apparel. A new collection of Jets wear has launched on NFL Shop Europe that features jerseys, jackets, hoodies, caps, and t-shirts, all with the new legacy logo. Fans can also purchase the new apparel on gamedays at the official Jets Shop at MetLife Stadium.

NEW YORK JETS AWARDED RIGHTS TO BUILD GLOBAL BRAND IN IRELAND

March 25, 2024 – The New York Jets today have been awarded rights to expand their brand and activities for Ireland as part of NFL’s ‘Global Markets Program.’

The initiative launched by the National Football League in 2022 awards NFL clubs international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom internationally, through fan engagement, events, and commercial opportunities.

The New York Jets can now look to engage Ireland ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft and through activities in the future with watch parties, community experiences, player visits, and event activations.

The New York Jets were founded in 1959 and won Super Bowl III in 1969. The team is recognised for its iconic green and white uniforms that were chosen by former owner Sonny Werblin due to his birthday falling on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Team President, Hymie Elhai said, “New York and Ireland have deep historical ties and we are thrilled to have an opportunity to connect with the country’s communities. As a franchise, we look forward to making an impact throughout Ireland by engaging sport fans and members of the community-at-large in an authentic way by familiarizing them with the New York Jets, how we operate, and the way we engage our fans.”

With the announcement, the team will be awarded rights for at least a five-year term and will join other clubs expanding into new markets as part of the NFL’s long-term strategy to enable clubs to build their brands globally while driving NFL fan growth beyond the US. Previous years have seen participating clubs activate their rights around several NFL tentpole moments, including the Pro Bowl Games and International Games in London, Germany, and Mexico.

In 2022, the New York Jets were awarded marketing rights to the United Kingdom as part of the NFL’s ‘Global Markets Program’ (formerly, IHMA). The Jets activated these rights by launching their first-ever UK-focused social channels, @NYJetsinUK on X and @newyorkjetsinUK on Instagram. Since 2022, they have been providing UK fans with exclusive sweepstakes and physical touchpoints with players and legends at official watch parties and other events.

The New York Jets notably increased awareness around flag football, creating more opportunities for young girls by launching the first-ever NFL league for girls in the UK: the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag league, which returned for its second year in 2024.

“The New York Jets have driven significant impact and growth in the UK through the league’s Global Markets Program since its launch in 2022. We are delighted to see them expand their rights and become the third NFL team to make a similar commitment to Ireland,” said Henry Hodgson, GM of NFL UK & Ireland. “Interest in the NFL in Ireland is growing at a tremendous pace and the NFL look forward to working together with the Jets to engage more fans in the market in the coming years.”

To keep updated on the latest New York Jets news in Ireland and to hear about their upcoming activities, please visit, www.newyorkjets.com. Follow them on social platforms @NYJets on X and on Instagram.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK JETS

The New York Jets were founded in 1959 as the New York Titans, an original member of the American Football League (AFL). The Jets won Super Bowl III, defeating the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in 1969 while in 1970, the franchise joined the National Football League in the historic AFL–NFL merger that set the foundation for today’s league. Former owner Sonny Werblin led a syndicate that purchased the team prior to the 1963 season and renamed it the Jets, the entire uniform was redesigned and replaced. Navy and gold were abandoned in favor of Kelly Green and White. Werblin had embraced those colors because he was born on Saint Patrick’s Day and the colors resemble the Irish flag.

About the National Football League

The National Football League is America’s most popular sports league, comprised of 32 franchises that compete each year to win the Super Bowl, the world’s biggest annual sporting event. Founded in 1920, the NFL developed the model for the successful modern sports league, including national and international distribution, extensive revenue sharing, competitive excellence, and strong franchises across the country.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL MARKETS PROGRAM

Launched in January 2022, the Global Markets Program (GMP, formerly IHMA) initiative grants NFL clubs’ access to international territories for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization as part of a long-term, strategic effort to enable clubs to build their global brands while driving NFL fan growth internationally. The Jets threw the first ever international draft party in London in 2022. Ten clubs used the 2022 NFL Draft to highlight their international marketing efforts by announcing draft picks from iconic locations within their respective territories. Twenty-one clubs participated in the program in 2023 across 14 international markets, up from 19 participating clubs across 10 markets in 2022. Additionally, several other clubs hosted in-market watch parties, youth football activations and influencer events to build excitement for the NFL Draft in their new markets. Highlights include a collective commitment and ambition to growing flag football in international markets, with a focus on building community experiences to engage young people in the sport.

NEW YORK JETS AND CHICAGO BEARS EXPAND GIRLS NFL FLAG LEAGUE AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

• The two NFL Franchises launched second year of the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag football league, at AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium, with over 200 girls from 21 schools in attendance
• The girls were joined by prominent figures from the NFL, including Quincy Williams (New York Jets), Tremaine Edmunds (Chicago Bears), Jason Bell (Former NFL player and UK broadcaster) and members of the Great Britain Women’s Flag Football Team Ellie Thorpe, Kellie Barrett and Kate Bruinvels 
• The expanded league has been designed to provide girls with access to sport and the ability to develop unique skills that will have a positive impact on their lives
• Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles

7 March 2024 – Ahead of International Women’s Day, the New York Jets and the Chicago Bears have announced the expansion of the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag league, the first UK all-girls competition of its kind.

Over 200 girls from 21 participating schools kicked off the league with a unique NFL Flag football experience at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in Southwest London, home to AFC Wimbledon. The league returns following a successful inaugural season in 2023 based in the London borough of Ealing, with participation numbers more than doubling from 120 to 260 and now including multiple London boroughs.

The girls were joined at the launch by current New York Jets Team MVP Quincy Williams and Chicago Bears Defensive Captain Tremaine Edmunds. Also in attendance were current Great Britain Women’s Flag stars Ellie Thorpe, Kellie Barrett and Kate Bruinvels – hoping to inspire the next generation of flag football stars ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut at LA28.

Former NFL player and current UK broadcaster Jason Bell, a father to a young daughter himself, joined the players on the day to witness the unique experience offered to the girls.

Flag football is the non-contact format of American football that empowers young athletes, both boys and girls, around the world. The game is fun, exciting, and accessible for all, with women and girls driving some of the fastest growth in the sport.

The Jets and Bears aim to empower girls through NFL Flag, a game that offers a supportive team environment and a great social atmosphere. Together, the girls plan and execute winning plays, building life-long psychological skills in strategy, communication, and resilience, and can promote healthy mental wellbeing for the future.

At the launch event, the girls received their official team kit from Nike who are the league presenting partner and had an NFL Flag taster session led by NFL coaches as well as a host of other fun skill-based activities, including Cornhole, Shuffleboard, 360 Photo Booth, and a bespoke Media workshop.

Starting from the 15th of April, the second year will see over 260 girls from 21 schools compete in two conferences across the London boroughs of Ealing and Lambeth. The Jets and Bears will each run a conference, with the winners going head-to-head in a Championship Event on May 20th.

The eventual winners of the league will follow in the footsteps of last year’s champions, Ealing Fields, and receive an invite to attend the 2024 London Games as special guests.

New York Jets stated: “We are delighted to strengthen our commitment to the UK youth this year and expand the Girls Flag league. As a franchise, we are committed to growing female participation in sports at every opportunity. NFL Flag provides a sustainable way to achieve this while teaching young girls life lessons that will have an impact far beyond the football field. We have seen Jets fandom in the UK grow over the past few years, and we hope that these girls can drive a new wave of female fans in the years to come.” 

Chicago Bears stated: “Girls’ flag football continues to grow locally and internationally. Last month, we witnessed the sport become sanctioned in Chicago (US) and the state of Illinois. The game will also be introduced to the Olympic Games in 2028. As flag football progresses, the Chicago Bears will remain committed to championing the sport’s growth.  We are thrilled to be back in the UK for a second year with the Jets. To see the enthusiasm and engagement for American Football is incredible, and we are excited for what the second year of the league will bring, especially ahead of the Bears playing a game in London in October.”

NFL International Flag Football Development Manager, Afia Law, added: “It’s fantastic to see participation in NFL Flag throughout the UK continuing to grow at pace. Initiatives such as the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag league are fundamental to the sport’s development here and to driving female participation. The experiences and friendships young people make today in flag football have the potential to last a lifetime, and we hope their stories can go on to inspire more and more young girls to find their place in the sport.”  

To learn more about the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag League, please visit www.chicagobears.com and https://nyjetsinuk.com/girls-flag. To know more about NFL Flag in the UK, please visit https://www.nfl.com/uk/nfl-flag.

About Chicago Bears

One of the founding franchises of the National Football League, the Chicago Bears, was established in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys by legendary player, coach and owner George S. Halas. The team moved to Chicago in 1921. In 1922, Halas changed the team’s name from the Staleys to the Bears, and the team has gone on to win nine NFL Championships, including one Super Bowl. The Bears 30 Hall of Famers are the most of any team in the NFL. A pillar in the community for more than a century, the Bears strive to be civic leaders throughout Chicago and its suburbs by supporting initiatives focused on social justice, youth and high school football, the military, health equity, education, volunteerism and civic involvement.

About the New York Jets

The New York Jets were founded in 1959 as the New York Titans, an original member of the American Football League (AFL). The Jets won Super Bowl III, defeating the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in 1969. In 1970, the franchise joined the National Football League in the historic AFL–NFL merger that set the foundation for today’s league. As part of a commitment to its fan base through innovation and experiences, the team has created initiatives such as its trailblazing Jets Rewards program, a state-of-the-art mobile app, and Jets 360 Productions, a comprehensive content platform that gives fans greater access to the team across all digital and social platforms. The organization takes great pride in a long-standing, year-round commitment to their community. The New York Jets Foundation funds these programs and looks to positively influence the lives of young men and women, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The organization supports the efforts of the Lupus Research Alliance, youth football and numerous established charitable organizations and causes sponsored by the NFL. The New York Jets play in MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010, and are headquartered at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey. For more information about the New York Jets, visit newyorkjets.com.

The New York Jets today announced their inaugural International Fan of the Year: United Kingdom-based Frazer Campbell.

Frazer, who lives on the Isle of Man, will represent the Jets at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, where the overall winner of the International Fan of the Year competition will be announced.

He was given the news on a surprise zoom call with Jets star tight end Tyler Conklin, and couldn’t disguise his delight:

“I’m totally shocked right now, I don’t even know what to say!”

“It does mean a lot for you to actually come on and speak to me – it means more than you could imagine.”

This year marked the first year that the Fan of the Year contest was extended to international waters, with the NFL set to announce the full list of 32 club nominees on March 1st.

The representatives will all travel to Detroit on 25 April, when the 2024 NFL Draft will take place, with a special programme of events and activities scheduled.

A number of Jets fans from around the world sent off applications in a highly competitive process that was launched back in September last year.

Frazer has helped to set up and run the Jets fan group ‘Gang Green UK’ along with fellow British fans, bringing together die hard followers from across the country both on digital platforms and at a number of in-person events.

“We started the group… trying to find a few fans as we didn’t think there were many in the United Kingdom, and at first there weren’t.”

“But that group has basically turned into a family. I could never imagine not watching football and not supporting the Jets for that reason. It becomes bigger than football.”

Why the Jets?

“I wanted somewhere that I could go quite easily… and I’d always wanted to go to New York. My soccer team – Celtic – play in green and white… it became an easy choice from that moment to be honest!”

“I go to bed at night thinking about the NFL, I wake up and the first thing I do is go straight on Twitter to see if there’s any news.”

Congratulations to Frazer on becoming the International Fan of the Year, and thanks to every fan who submitted an application!

The stars don’t always align when it comes to football and the New York Jets, but after a frustrating season there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s no secret that the Jets will be looking for offensive help this offseason. When you finish in the bottom third of nearly every statistical category, your route to improvement is pretty clear.

In my last article, we looked at free agency and some positions where the Jets will look to improve; this week we turn our attention to the NFL Draft.

Fortunately for the Jets, the stars are aligning when it comes to areas of need and strengths of the upcoming Draft.

The 2024 class not only has elite top-level talent in round one, but it has plenty of strength in depth throughout, especially when it comes to two positions the Jets will almost certainly be looking to strengthen…

Offensive Tackle

This is arguably one of the best offensive tackle classes in recent memory. Three names are starting to dominate when it comes to the top of class with Notre Dame’s fine technician Joe Alt leading the way. Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and high-upside Penn State standout Olumuyiwa Fashanu are also generating top-10 buzz.

But the talent at the position doesn’t stop there.

Alabama’s mammoth tackle JC Latham is slated to go in the first-round, although he may be restricted to playing on the right side. Washington State’s Troy Fautanu is picking up steam with his plus movement skills, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton will continue to move up draft boards after some strong reviews at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, and Amarius Mims will be a first round option as long as teams are happy with his medical report.

Those are just the tackles being spoken about with the first 32 picks. If you continue down the board, you’ll see a number of other talented tackles who could slip into the later rounds.

One under-the-radar name to watch is Kiran Amegadjie from Yale, a player who improved every single year and who will start generating buzz during the pre-draft process.

Needless to say, if you need a starting offensive tackle or two, the 2024 NFL Draft is for you.

Wide Receiver

For as good as the offensive tackle position is, there are plenty of wide receivers to get excited about too, with star receivers at the top of the Draft and plenty of strength in depth.

The class is headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr, a player many have at the top of their Draft boards. Not only does he have the obvious pedigree (his father Marvin Harrison Sr. played for the Indianapolis Colts for 13 years), but he has that ideal speed/size combination with the explosiveness to punish teams consistently. Don’t get excited though Jets fans, this man won’t escape the top five… in fact I’d be surprised if he dropped below the top three picks.

Behind Marvin there are a host of players worthy of a first-round selection, and the idea of adding one of these guys to an Aaron Rodgers-led offence alongside Garrett Wilson is certainly an exciting prospect.

Leading that chasing pack is Washington’s Rome Odunze, who may be my favourite prospect in this entire draft. As refined a route-runner as you’ll find in college football, Odunze plays inside and out and has excellent hands, athleticism and size. In any other year, he’d be the clear #1 receiver, and there may even be teams who have him above Marvin Harrison Jr. I’d be shocked if he made it to the Jets at #10.

If he doesn’t, you start looking at the next tier and that’s dominated by the boys from Louisiana: Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. I’m a big fan of Thomas Jr and his explosiveness; he’s also coming off a season where he torched college defences for 17 touchdowns. For me, those two guys are in a tier of their own.

Then you start looking a little further down at receivers who could be available at the end of the first round and the top of the second. You find guys like Devontez Walker from North Carolina, Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy from Texas, Keon Coleman from Florida State, Troy Franklin from Oregon and Ladd McConkey from Georgia; a player who’s already won the title for my favourite name in the draft.

If you keep going you’ll come across plenty of talent through the middle rounds and word out of the Senior Bowl is that Michigan man Roman Wilson impressed anyone and everyone in attendance.

The draft process is just getting started; there is plenty of evaluation left. But if you want to find offensive tackles and wide receivers – and the Jets likely want to find offensive tackles and wide receivers – the 2024 NFL Draft looks as though it may be very fruitful.

In our last offseason piece we focused our attention on some of the key decisions the Jets will need to make when it comes to their own free agents. With so many about to test the open market, it’s safe to say that Joe Douglas will be on the hunt for a number of replacements.

While some positions on the team will likely be filled internally, the Jets General Manager will have his work cut out with one of the offseason’s most important tasks: spotting and attracting the right talent at the right price.

Hundreds of NFL players are set to hit free agency and with the Jets currently slated to have minimal cap space before cuts and restructures, Douglas won’t be going on a 5th Avenue-type spree. There are, however, a number of players who could be of interest and once the new league year ticks over, a few names who will be at the top of the shortlist.

The Jets won’t be able to ignore the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Key decisions need to be made at both safety and interior defensive line, as the team has a number of players hitting free agency in those positions.

That being said, we’re going to focus this week on the offence, which is where the bulk of the offseason attention is likely to be turned. I’ve outlined four positions that the Jets may look to target in the hope some new reinforcements can jumpstart their engine heading into 2024.

Offensive Tackle

The Jets have struggled with consistency on the offensive line, and will go into the 2024 offseason with uncertainty at both tackle positions. The team doesn’t have to look far to find evidence of the importance of o-line consistency. During their 2009 run to the AFC Championship game the Jets got all but 14 snaps from their starting five offensive linemen.

This year the Jets used 14 different linemen and 13 different offensive line combinations. Priority number one for Douglas will revolve around finding reliable offensive tackles to bring stability in front of Aaron Rodgers. Fortunately for the Jets, there are a number of options in free agency who tick all the boxes and the 2024 draft is considered particularly strong at the tackle position. I’d expect a heavy dose of resources to be spent on offensive line reinforcement.

Wide Receiver

One of the main objectives for the Jets next season will revolve around Allen Lazard and getting the former Packer back to his best after an underwhelming first season in green and white by his standards.

To take some pressure off Lazard, the Jets will likely turn to the free agent market to secure a running mate for star receiver Garrett Wilson. Just like the offensive tackle position, the wide receiver position is deep in talent when it comes to free agency and the draft. Explosive playmakers are the name of the game and giving Aaron Rodgers more weaponry is never a bad idea.

Quarterback

Both Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas hinted towards the end of the season that with hindsight they may have approached things differently in 2023. You can’t help but think that was in direct relation to not signing a proven veteran quarterback to backup Rodgers in the off-season.

The hope at 1JD is that Rodgers remains healthy for the entire 2024 season, but the Jets have to be prepared for the worst case scenario. This year, we saw a number of backups step into the limelight following an injury to the starter and continue to produce. There are a number of options on the market this offseason, as the trend tends to be that veteran QBs sign rolling one-year deals.

Running Back

Breece Hall showed that he’s the man in New York going forward, and as the season wore on, Hall seemed to get stronger, an amazing feat considering his ACL injury in 2022. The Dalvin Cook signing didn’t work out, but I do feel that the Jets will be in the market for a veteran running back to pair with 2nd year man Israel Abanikanda.

As always, there are a lot of good running backs set to hit the market and over the last few seasons years we have seen how much value you can get from a veteran RB addition, much as Houston did this year with their acquisition of Devin Singletary.