It’s the one position of need the New York Jets haven’t addressed yet.
When the offseason began, Gang Green understood they would have to address many needs along the roster. From the safety position to quarterback, New York needed to fix many things following a three-win season.
To the credit of general manager Darren Mougey and the front office, they have done that. New York has a new starting quarterback and has addressed several needs in just a week of free agency.
A starting wide receiver opposite Garrett Wilson, though, remains something that has yet to be addressed on the Jets’ depth chart.
There are many reasons for this, of course. New York has four draft picks within the first 50 overall selections and could simply be waiting for April’s selection process to fill that hole.
The lack of a true standout wideout in free agency is another reason for the Jets’ inactivity.
But New York’s lingering receiver need presents an important question:
What kind of wideout should the team be looking for?
Who complements Garrett Wilson the best?
Everything the Jets do offensively should be focused on getting the most out of their star wide receiver. When healthy, Wilson has shown to be one of the up-and-coming top wideouts in the game.
In four seasons, Wilson has recorded 315 receptions for over 3,600 yards and 18 touchdowns, all without ever catching passes from merely an average quarterback. Keep in mind those numbers include last season’s rough year, in which the former Offensive Rookie of the Year was on track for his fourth straight 1,000-yard season before a knee injury.
But what kind of wideout complements what Wilson does on the field?
Since being drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Wilson has done his best work from the slot. There are many top offenses in the league who have their best player operate from inside, with the Dallas Cowboys (CeeDee Lamb) and the Detroit Lions (Amon-Ra St. Brown) being two of the best examples.
What Dallas and Detroit both have that the Jets do not, though, is a quality “X” receiver—someone who can line up on the boundary and take the focus off of the middle of the field where Wilson feasts.
Dallas has George Pickens. Detroit has Jameson Williams. These players can get downfield in a hurry and command the respect of a top cornerback.
Wilson can fit that role for the Jets, but it’s not what he is best known for.
Luckily for New York, there are several wideouts that fit the requirement in both the draft and in free agency.
In April, wideouts like Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Washington’s Denzel Boston, and even Ohio State’s Carnell Tate have worked almost exclusively from the boundary in their college careers. Each would fit the Jets’ needs in that role.
Free agency offers some help as well. Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings has experience in almost every wide receiver role, but worked primarily out of the “X” spot last season due to injuries.
New York could also consider targeting Brandon Aiyuk, another 49er wideout, with experience in that role. Aiyuk hasn’t been fully healthy since 2023, but posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons before his ACL injury.
Other veteran options like DeAndre Hopkins or Brandin Cooks would make a lot of sense for that role as well.
The key point here, though, is that the Jets can still find a logical and cost-effective solution to their receiver needs.
Jets receiver room
Outside of Wilson, there are a lot of questions about the team’s receiving room.
As of today, the Jets’ second receiver is Adonai Mitchell, acquired in the Sauce Gardner trade. The former second-round pick put forth some quality reps in his short season with the Jets, but remains a work in progress.
Former fourth-round pick Arian Smith, return specialist Isaiah Williams, and undrafted free agents Irv Charles and Quentin Skinner make up the remainder of the room.
It’s a group that would not be competitive without its star receiver.
The good news for New York, though, is that the clear need can be easily resolved in a number of ways.
New York can add a veteran like Hopkins, then later draft a receiver such as Tyson with the 16th overall pick, and come away with a much different degree of offensive weaponry than they dealt with throughout the 2025 campaign.