5 biggest takeaways from Jets’ combine pressers

When Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey both stepped up to the podium at the Indianapolis Convention Center on Tuesday, they knew what questions were coming.

Sweeping changes to the coaching staff, the future of certain players, and rumors of ownership’s meddling all had to be addressed for the first time.

Glenn and Mougey provided clarity on some of those pressing topics surrounding the New York Jets, leaving us with five major takeaways.

1. Breece Hall is likely to return

The biggest takeaway from Tuesday is that no matter what the final decision is, running back Breece Hall will likely be a member of the team in 2026.

Mougey explained that New York is continuing to negotiate a long-term deal with their former second-round pick, but if a contract can’t be agreed to, they will simply tag Hall.

“The tags are an option. Ideally, we’d like to find a way to get a deal done and keep Breece around,” Mougey said. “I’ve said that for the last year since I got here. Breece is a good player, and we want to find a way to keep him around. We’ve been going through that process and are still doing so. We have a week to find out, if we can’t get to an agreement, which way we’ll go with that tag.”

New York has until next Tuesday (4 p.m. EST on March 3) to place a tag on the running back. The franchise tag will pay Hall $14.5 million next season, while the transition tag stands at $11.7 million.

2. A guard shuffle could be on the way

New York’s roster will look vastly different this season. They have over $75 million in cap space and four draft picks within the first 50 overall selections. The Jets have plenty of needs to fill with those assets, including quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, safety, and defensive tackle, among others.

Gang Green seems to be willing to add left guard to their list of needs.

Mougey was non-committal regarding the futures of free agent guards Alijah Vera-Tucker or John Simpson.

“We’ll evaluate and stay in contact with those guys,” Mougey told Jets X-Factor. “We’ll monitor throughout the free agency process and just go through that process and see where it lands.”

New York hasn’t shut the door on either player’s return. But it’s clear they will allow both to test the open market.

3. Glenn is excited about play-caller changes

New York made sweeping changes to their coaching staff. First, Glenn made it clear that he will be the one calling plays on defense, citing his previous experience in Detroit.

“To me, play calling is my superpower, really,” Glenn said. “Doing it for four years in Detroit, and, man, just look at the maturation of those four years, of how we improved every year, and how I improved as a play caller. I really missed doing that. I think it’s a huge part of helping us become the team that I see us becoming.”

Glenn clarified that he didn’t choose to be the play-caller during his first year as head coach because he wanted to learn the entire role first.

On offense, New York brought in a brand-new collection of faces to reshape the staff. Frank Reich, the experienced mind, will be the unit’s play-caller, but he’ll also be aided by several young assistants with quality experience.

That’s exactly what the Jets were hoping for.

“There are a number of young coaches on this staff that [will] be able to help him innovate,” Glenn said. “I look forward to some of these young guys putting their spin on how they think the offense should operate.”

Things will look far different for the Jets’ offense this year.

4. Jets remain optimistic about Will McDonald

Last season, the Jets accepted the fifth-year option for Jermaine Johnson. They expect to do the same this year for Will McDonald.

New York wants to see more from their first-round edge rushers, but Mougey made it clear that the team is still high on the Iowa State product.

“(We) feel really good about Will and that being a possibility,” Mougey said about the team accepting McDonald’s fifth-year option.

The deadline to pick up McDonald’s fifth-year option is May 1. While Mougey did not explicitly say that New York will give the former Iowa State product a long-term deal, he suggested the fifth-year option is likely.

McDonald had eight sacks last season and has 22 over his first three seasons, but has struggled against the run, and saw his pass-rush production decline from 2024 to 2025.

5. Jets’ quarterback room

Mougey bluntly stated that Justin Fields remains on the roster at the current moment.

“Justin’s on the roster, and just like every other position, we’re going to evaluate the quarterback position through every landscape, whether that’s trade, on the street, free agency, to see what we can add to the team.”

The GM stated that conversations with the offensive staff have included Fields.

Still, it’s a safe bet to assume that the Jets will be moving on from Fields. If the Jets release him with a post-June 1 designation, they will clear $10 million in cap space.

Several quarterback options will be available to replace Fields as New York’s Week 1 starter. Mougey made it clear that the organization will be looking for solutions at quarterback based on Reich’s experience in his offensive leadership roles.

“I think the conversation of fit is definitely important with the quarterback position, Mougey told Jets X-Factor. “The fit with the team, current situation, and play-caller is important. We look at all of those things.”

Whether that means a trade for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee, a draft pick of Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar, or the free agent signing of Jacoby Brissett, New York seems to be focused on tall quarterbacks with big arms, if Reich’s coaching track record is any indication.

Reporting from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind.