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The New York Jets were one win away from making the playoffs, but they were unable to beat Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. With that, their offseason began a bit early, and they have needs to address in the coming months. The offense was outstanding and a pleasant surprise thanks to Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall and Chris Ivory, but two of those three may not be back next season.
With that said, these are the most important positions for the Jets to address this offseason.
1. Linebacker
The Jets have outstanding depth and talent both on the defensive line and secondary. The issue is in the middle of those two units where the linebackers reside. It's an older group of veterans headlined by David Harris with the 26-year-old Demario Davis set to be a free agent. Calvin Pace hasn't been the pass rusher he once was and lost snaps to rookie Lorenzo Mauldin. The Jets need a dominant edge rusher from the linebacker position to take pressure off of Leonard Williams and Sheldon Richardson up front.
2. Running back
The Jets started off the year with a dominant rushing attack, but it slowed down late in the year -- particularly for Chris Ivory. They still finished 10th in the league in rushing yards, but the running back position is far from set for 2016. Ivory is a free agent and at the age of 27, he's by no means young for a running back. In fact, his backups, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley are both free agents as well, leaving no viable starter on the roster as of now. The Jets need to get younger at the position, whether it's through the draft or with a guy like Lamar Miller.
3. Quarterback
The quarterback situation is similar to that of the running backs. Ryan Fitzpatrick is 33 years old and while he played extremely well in his first year with the Jets, he's been inconsistent throughout his career. He's also a free agent. The Jets have said they want to bring him back, and they'd be smart to, but there may be better options out there. Getting an elite young quarterback at No. 20 overall in the upcoming draft isn't likely, and neither is signing a top-flight one in free agency. Geno Smith isn't the answer, and Bryce Petty isn't ready for the big stage as a starter, either.
4. Tight end
The tight end position was a useless one in the passing game for New York this season. Jets tight ends made a grand total of eight catches, five of which came from Jeff Cumberland. Quincy Enunwa is a big receiver who played the role of a tight end, but finding an experienced pass-catching player at the position is a necessity. Kellen Davis, Cumberland's backup, is a free agent, which means they need to find a No. 2 tight end at the very least. Finding a talented guy in free agency is certainly possible with guys like Coby Fleener and Ladarius Green set to hit the open market.
5. Offensive tackle
The Jets have had the most durable left tackle in the league in D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who has yet to miss a single snap in his career. However, his $14.1 million cap hit is massive and his play has declined in recent years. He's a candidate to be cut, and if he is, finding his replacement will be a huge priority. It will all come down to whether or not the Jets bring back Ferguson.
*All salary cap information comes from OverTheCap.com
