As anticipated, 2020 was another year to forget for Jets fans, and it really could not have been worse. An 0-13 start left the Jets once again as the laughing stock of football, but there appeared to be some impending consolation that they would end up with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Yet, even that did not go New York’s way, as their surprising two upset wins at the end of the season allowed Jacksonville to secure the consensus first pick Trevor Lawrence. Last season also saw the end of the Sam Darnold era in New York, three years in which Darnold was unable to find any footing due to frequent injuries and an abysmal supporting cast. With the former USC Trojan now in Carolina, the Jets will turn to yet another rookie quarterback in Zach Wilson to finally turn things around and be the franchise player they have been waiting for for over a decade.
Things could not have gone worse offensively for the Jets last year. They finished dead last in total yards and points scored, and according to Pro Football Reference, contributed a total of -59 expected points over the course of the year. When your offense is costing you points, that’s not a sign of a well-oiled machine. Virtually every position needed an upgrade, none more so than pass catchers. The Jets signed Corey Davis from Tennessee this offseason, adding some promise to an underwhelming wide receiver room led by veteran Jamison Crowder. The New York offense will also be looking for a large step up from second-year receiver Denzel Mims, whose talent was left untapped due to poor quarterback play. There also remains much to be desired at the running back position. 37-year-old Frank Gore led the team in rushing yards a season ago with just 653 yards, which is something that absolutely needs to change to support Zach Wilson in his rookie season. While Wilson’s raw talent should provide some hope, don’t expect much to change offensively before the Jets give him some help.
It’s hard to blame the Jets’ defense for finishing in the bottom half of the league given that the offense gave them no help in 2020. New York’s front seven is nothing to shake your head at, as despite consistently being behind in games, the Jets finished well within the top half of the league in defending the run. The biggest concern is in the secondary. New defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh will have his work cut out for him in rebuilding a secondary that has been exploited by opposing offenses for years.
Even with Zach Wilson, the Jets are far from a drastically improved football team from a year ago. They will once again enter the 2021 season as the favorite to finish last in the AFC East and are significantly behind every other team in the division in terms of current talent. It will be tough for Jets fans to hear, but this team is still at least a couple years away from competing in the division and eventually playing for a playoff spot.
2021 Record Prediction: 4-13