New York Jets Player Facing the Most Pressure in 2026
The New York Jets are undergoing major change. Sauce Gardner is in Indianapolis. Quinnen Williams is in Dallas. And Geno Smith is back in New York. David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Demario Davis, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are all Jets.
But the real focus is on the offensive line.
The Jets clearly believe they have the pieces in place to keep a 35-year-old Geno Smith upright, headlined by last year’s No. 7 overall pick Armand Membou and center Joe Tippmann, who just signed a monster four-year, $66.4 million extension.
They also still have a solid receiving corps featuring Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, first-round rookie Omar Cooper Jr., Sadiq, and last year’s second-round tight end Mason Taylor. Meanwhile, Breece Hall remains one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL, and Braelon Allen is the type of bruising back that complements him perfectly.
On paper, the pieces are there for the Jets’ offense to be good in 2026. But that could ultimately hinge on one player, left tackle Olu Fashanu.
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Selected 11th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Fashanu spent his entire rookie year bouncing between right tackle, right guard, and left tackle, his natural position. When he finally settled in as the starting LT, he looked good, finishing the year with just one sack and four quarterback hits allowed.
He finally saw his first full season at left tackle last year, but the results were mixed. He posted a 69.2 overall PFF grade, which ranked 39th among 89 qualified tackles, and improved his pass-blocking grade from 59.4 to 74.5, the 27th-best mark at the position. He also closed the year with four straight games not allowing a single sack and allowing just one quarterback hit.
However, his run-blocking grade was slightly lower than his mark during his rookie year, dropping from 61.4 to 57.1, and by the end of the year, analysts were caling him “average at best.” When you’re drafted No. 11 overall, the expectation is elite, not average. He allowed six sacks, five QB hits, and was flagged for three penalties over the course of the 2025 season.
Fashanu has shown flashes, but he hasn’t yet turned them into a full season of consistent, reliable line play. Now entering his third year, his rookie contract will be up after the 2027 campaign, meaning he’ll need a strong season to set up a big payday.
There’s some optimism that Geno Smith can recapture some of that Seattle magic, and that Breece Hall can get back to being a top five back and Garrett Wilson a top five wideout. But none of that will happen without a clean pocket, and that pressure will be primarily on Fashanu in 2026.
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This story was originally published July 18, 2026 at 2:01 PM.