Jets expecting major competition for Geno Smith's No. 2 receiving option

The New York Jets had a pass-catcher problem during the 2025 season, to say the least. Garrett Wilson was their lone reliable star, and despite not catching a pass after Week 6, he managed to lead the team in receiving, with 395 yards.

Rookie tight end Mason Taylor managed to lead the team in receptions with 44, but all this is to say how poor the array of weaponry the Jets quarterbacks had at their disposal in 2025.

Things couldn't be more different heading into 2026, with the Jets loaded up with pass catchers for Geno Smith to work with. Wilson and Taylor are primed to contribute again, with new first-round additions Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. ready to kick their careers off.

But who will be the Jets' No. 2 option behind Wilson? Has one of their other wide receivers set themselves apart from the pack? Or will a tight end garner the most secondary targets?

Who will be the Jets' secondary receiving option in 2026?

The Jets have yet to get to training camp; they just wrapped up OTAs last week, and mandatory minicamp begins on Tuesday.

But the question remains, who will be Geno Smith's secondary receiving option next season among their new arsenal of pass catchers?

ESPN's Rich Cimini says the competition is ongoing, but there are still players who are throwing their hats in the ring.

"We know Garrett Wilson is the No. 1, but the Jets need another reliable option in the passing game. Right now, the No. 2 is receiver Adonai Mitchell, but the Jets expect a push from first-round wideout Omar Cooper Jr. First-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq could be a factor down the road, but he's sidelined until training camp because of hernia surgery. Incumbent tight end Mason Taylor recorded a team-high 44 catches last season, and now he has a chance to build on that."

Rich Cimini

As Cimini points out, the Jets have four legitimate answers to the question of who could be their No. 2 receiving option behind Wilson, and each one of them could be that guy in 2026.

But as of now, it feels like Adonai Mitchell has the best shot, due to the fact that he's the most experienced of the bunch and seems to have gotten off to a hot start this summer.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn waxed poetically about Mitchell earlier in OTAs, and it seems like he's going to be a key piece of the offense.

Regardless, the Jets and Smith have plenty to work with heading into next season, and that's something you can't usually say about the Green & White.

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