With the dust settled on the 2025 NFL offseason, it’s time to shift focus to the upcoming campaign. The New York Jets have undergone as much change as any team during the spring and summer, boasting hopes that it’ll all pay off in due time.
Despite that, many are still worried about the wide receiver room. With head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand at the helm, Garrett Wilson remains the unquestioned leading piece.
Have the Jets done enough to surround Wilson with quality talent? Now past roster cutdown day, general manager Darren Mougey chimed in with his take.
Darren Mougey Not Worried About Jets’ Wide Receiver Depth
Mougey, having received some backlash in recent days, doesn’t come off as one bit concerned.
“I like the room as a whole,” Mougey said. “Obviously, it starts with Garrett, as you mentioned, and look forward to seeing him this year. We’ll move him around. He can do it all, and then the pieces that go around him. I think we got pieces that complement each other there. We’ve got three guys in Josh Reynolds, [Allen] Lazard, Tyler Johnson, they’ve all played in the league and had success, bigger bodies. You can move them around, they can block in the run game.
“Then you’ve got the speed piece with Arian [Smith] and Gip [Xavier Gipson]. Gip’s got speed, he can play inside. We’ll find ways to get him some touches as well, so I feel really good about the room as a whole.”
Wilson’s production speaks for itself. He can roll out of bed in the morning and post a 1,000-yard season. The Jets know that, which is why they signed him to a huge contract extension this offseason. New York’s hope is the duo of Reynolds, a reliable veteran supporting option, and Lazard, who’s frequently been dubbed a trade piece, can be enough.
The two wild cards are Johnson and Smith. The former no longer has the same fun draft pedigree he once did, and he was released but re-signed to the practice squad. The latter is a very intriguing first-year man who may be in for a bigger role than some originally thought. His blend of big-play ability and seemingly improved hands could make a difference.
Someone, perhaps two members of that group, must find a way to complement Wilson. If not, it’ll be a long year for quarterback Justin Fields.
Mougey Excited to Keep Practice Squad Talents Around for 2025-26 Season
Roster depth and organizational depth are two different things. New York absolutely has one of them, but it’s the second segment.
In the aftermath of roster cuts, Mougey was able to retain three particular wideouts on the practice squad. The trio of Quentin Skinner, Jamaal Pritchett and Brandon Smith, at some point in the last month-plus, all flashed some upside. Skinner, specifically, had a downright excellent stint in the preseason. While it wasn’t enough to make the team, he’s still around.
Mougey believes being able to stay in the building and keep coming to work for the Jets every day is a massive plus. He likes the practice squad he’s constructed.
“We’re constantly evaluating those guys and having those discussions,” Mougey said. “One, let me start out, I feel great from top to bottom with that room, and feel blessed that we were able to keep those guys around that you mentioned. Skinner, Pritchett, and Brandon Smith, to name those practice squad guys in particular.
“Like I said to start, it’s always a puzzle and a roster kind of juggle. How do we keep the best 70? What are the mechanisms that we can use to do so? Being able to keep those guys on the practice squad and in the boat to continue to develop, but be available for potential elevations in game day, it worked out for us and I’m excited about it.”
Mougey has shown he’s willing to admit when the Jets‘ players are lacking. He recently did it with Malachi Corley, who’s now on the Cleveland Browns.
This configuration of players is hand-picked by him, though, so he’ll have to sleep in the bed he’s made.
Jets GM Darren Mougey Sounds Off on State of WR Room Entering Season