Darren Mougey predicted to maintain his proactive ways and extend key Jets youngster

New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey has developed a reputation as a proactive decision maker throughout his first two years on the job in Florham Park, and it's made him a favorite of fans despite the lackluster results in Year 1.

He extended Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson last summer, almost as soon as they became extension eligible, and both deals (even though Gardner's contract belongs to the Indianapolis Colts) have aged very well.

Even this offseason, Mougey's decision to extend Breece Hall's and Joe Tippmann's contracts when he did couldn't have come at a better time. In the months after Hall's deal, in particular, the running back market exploded with players like Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs landing market-setting deals.

Well, there are several other Jets who are either extension-eligible or impending free agents heading into 2026, and Mougey was predicted to maintain his proactivity in locking down key contributors.

New York Jets predicted to extend defensive tackle Jowon Briggs

ESPN's Seth Walder predicted that the Jets would extend 25-year-old defensive tackle Jowon Briggs at some point during the season, considering his young age and how well he played throughout the 2025 season.

"The Jets have depth at defensive tackle after acquiring T'Vondre Sweat and David Onyemata in the offseason (and still have Harrison Phillips on the roster), but Briggs, acquired in a trade with the Browns last August, has flashed real promise. Last season he ranked in the top 12 in both pass rush win rate and run stop win rate at defensive tackle. He can be a long-term solution for the Jets along the interior."

In what is another incredibly positive trend from Mougey, Briggs was one of those players that the Jets general manager was able to flip a Day 3 pick for, and he ended up being a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing defense.

Briggs was a pleasant surprise in 2025, grading out as the NFL's 17th-best defensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 73.6. He was at his best as a pass rusher, earning an 85.6 pass-rush grade, sixth-best among his peers.

The Jets brought Briggs back this past offseason, tendering him as a restricted free agent. He'll play out the 2026 season on a $1.075 million salary. The Jets would be wise to ink him to an extension sooner rather than later, as his price may only go up.

Considering Mougey's tendencies, it's fair to expect Walder's prediction will eventually come to fruition.

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