ESPN has named the New York Jets' X-factor for the 2026 season. Find out who it is.
ESPN's Ben Solak believes WR Adonai Mitchell is the New York Jets' X-factor for the 2026 season.
The Jets acquired Mitchell from the Indianapolis Colts last season. The 23-year-old had 24 receptions for 301 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in eight games with New York.
Mitchell will catch passes from QB Geno Smith this season and Solak believes Mitchell has to play well for New York to win more than three games.
"The Jets are the right team with which to take that leap," Solak wrote. "Mitchell has little contention for snaps behind him on the depth chart because of the slow camp for first-round rookie Omar Cooper Jr. In new quarterback Geno Smith, Mitchell has a passer willing to keep firing targets into tight windows to struggling receivers. Smith is an aggressive passer who will give Mitchell chances to win balls with his frame and size, and if Mitchell can string together a few big games, his confidence will grow.
"The Jets look like they're building a strong offense, which could get a young quarterback in 2027, thanks to the selections of Cooper and tight end Kenyon Sadiq alongside the extension for running back Breece Hall. If Mitchell can prove he can be trusted as a WR2, it catapults them into "a quarterback away" on offense. The stakes are high!"
Mitchell enters this season with 56 catches, 765 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He was the 52nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Jets not only went 3-14 last season in Year 1 of the Aaron Glenn era, but they also became the first team in NFL history not to record a defensive interception and to lose five straight games by 23 or more points.
While all signs point to the Jets missing the playoffs again this season, Glenn's group shouldn't be the laughingstock of the league after a strong draft and offseason transaction cycle.
In Year 2 of the Glenn era, the Jets face the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
It will be fascinating to see how many games NYJ wins in 2026. The Jets are actually best suited to have a bad record again so they can have a high pick in the 2027 draft and select Arch Manning or Dante Moore.
