3 Jets who should be highly motivated in 2026 with contract extensions on the line

New York Jets general manager has made a habit of taking care of extensions for key players throughout his first two years on the job as lead decision maker in Florham Park, and it's a lovely change of pace from the last few general managers the Jets have had.

It started last summer with Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner's extensions, and continued this offseason with Breece Hall and Joe Tippmann. It's become abundantly clear that if a player deserves a contract, Mougey will be willing to talk turkey with said player and his representation.

There are several Jets players heading into the 2026 season who are either impending free agents or are extension-eligible, and they should be incredibly motivated to perform with their production tied to a future contract.

3 New York Jets who need to perform in 2026 to earn a new contract

Will McDonald IV, Edge

The Jets' 2023 first-round draft pick has his back against the wall entering 2026. He's already expected to have a smaller role, thanks to his inability to defend the run, and needs to capitalize on his pass-rushing opportunities in third downs and other obvious passing situations.

Will McDonald has two years remaining on his current rookie deal, thanks to the Jets picking up his fifth-year option this past summer. But he could prove to the front office that he deserves to be a key piece moving forward by turning back the clock to 2024 and recording a double-digit sack season.

The Jet Press' Richard Louis pointed to the contract the Seattle Seahawks gave edge Derick Hall this offseason, a three-year, $42 million deal, as something McDonald would be worthy of if he flashes in 2026.

Adonai Mitchell, WR

There's arguably been no player (outside of the incoming rookie class) that Jets fans have been more excited about this offseason than Adonai Mitchell. After flashing potential in the back half of the 2025 season, Mitchell will be the secondary receiving option in New York's passing game, and the sky is the limit.

The former Indianapolis Colts' second-round draft pick is entering the third year of his four-year rookie contract and will be eligible to sign an extension next offseason. Considering the meteoric rise of the wide receiver market, the Jets would be wise to lock Mitchell down long-term if he shows out in 2026.

A good comparison for Mitchell, if he proves to be a legitimate WR2 in 2026, would be the contract the Green Bay Packers gave wide receiver Jayden Reed this offseason. A three-year, $50.25 million pact paying him $16.75 million annually.

T'Vondre Sweat, DT

Instead of making the difficult choice to either extend Jermaine Johnson or not this offseason, the Jets opted to flip their former first-round edge to the Tennessee Titans, giving them some extra time to make a financial decision with the acquisition of T'Vondre Sweat. Similar to Mitchell, Sweat is a 2024 second-round draft pick and has two years remaining on his rookie deal.

The Jets are likely envisioning Sweat as a staple of the interior defensive line for years to come. He is incredibly talented and has flashed dominance in spurts throughout his short career. The biggest problem? Consistency. Maybe a change of scenery is exactly what the former Texas standout needed.

If Sweat can prove to stay healthy and dominant throughout the 2026 season, he should be in line for a new contract next offseason. Using Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keanu Benton as a blueprint, a four-year, $72 million contract sounds reasonable for the young nose tackle.

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