4 important New Year's resolutions for the NY Jets in 2022

A year ago at this time, the New Year's resolutions for the NY Jets were apparent. It was all about ownership giving full power to general manager Joe Douglas, and finding a new leader at head coach to help change the team's culture. And then ultimately identifying who would be the team's franchise quarterback.

The Jets have all those things in place heading towards 2022. Joe Douglas got to pick his coach/leader in Robert Saleh and his franchise quarterback in Zach Wilson. 

The Jets now begin phase two of what is a genuine rebuild. No team in the NFL is younger than the Jets. And with a boatload of draft picks upcoming (nine in total), the team will have a chance to get significant contributions once again from another rookie class.

The early returns on the Jets 2021 draft class have been positive. Running back Michael Carter, wide receiver Elijah Moore, and offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker have shown superstar potential.

Defensive backs like the other Michael Carter, Brandin Echols, and Jason Pinnock look like long-term keepers in the secondary.

The jury is still out on the most important draft pick Zach Wilson, but there have been some positive signs as the season has progressed. There's enough reason to believe that Wilson's best is still yet to come. 

The Jets are currently projected to have four of the top-40 picks in next year's 2022 NFL Draft, thanks to Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold, two players who were supposed to be cornerstone players for the team's last rebuild.

The Jets have two high first-round and second-round picks due to Joe Douglas's deals with Seattle and Carolina, respectively. Thanks to the Seahawks and Panthers' struggles, the Jets have a chance to add their next crop of cornerstone players in phase two of the team's current rebuild. 

The Jets franchise has different New Year's resolutions than they did a year ago, so let's look at four of them for 2022.

NY Jets New Year's Resolution No. 1: Make it impossible for Zach Wilson to fail

Quite frankly, this could be resolution No. 1 through 5. There's nothing more important on the agenda for Joe Douglas, the front office, the scouting department, and the Jets coaching staff than giving Zach Wilson the optimum setting for success. Their future and the Jets franchise's future hinges on the development and growth of Wilson.

Taking top priority in 2022 will be getting Wilson as much help as possible on the field. That includes continuing to fortify the offensive line in front of him and surrounding him with as many quality weapons to throw to and lean on as possible.

Carter, Moore, and Vera-Tucker are good starting points, but the Jets still need more difference-making players on offense. 

The laundry list is extensive for the Jets' needs. On offense, you could argue for another deep threat at receiver, a power back to complement Carter in the backfield, and one or maybe two more big physical threats in the passing game.

It's easier said than done, but the Jets need to find Wilson two more star receivers in the passing game, preferably one at wide receiver and the other at tight end.

Whether it comes through free agency, the trade market, or most likely through the draft, the Jets need more playmakers on offense. In a perfect world, A George Kittle type would make his way to Florham Park in 2022.

The Jets and Wilson desperately need a difference-making player at the tight-end position, someone who Wilson can have as a security blanket for years to come, like Patrick Mahomes has Travis Kelce or Lamar Jackson with Mark Andrews.

As fun as it was to see Wilson connect with offensive linemen Conor McDermott in a goal-to-go situation against Jacksonville, Wilson needs a legit weapon in the red zone to target on a weekly basis.

Make no mistake; the jury is still out on Zach Wilson. However, the elite physical tools are evident in his mobility and arm strength. And character-wise, Wilson has done a fabulous job dealing with adversity in his rookie campaign.

It hasn't been easy for Wilson, but the Jets' job in this upcoming offseason is to try and make Wilson's transition into year two as simple as possible. So if that means drafting two skill-position players with their top four picks in the 2022 draft, so be it. 

Joe Burrow has changed the Cincinnati Bengals' fortunes and looks like the new age version of 'Joe Cool,' but it doesn't hurt him having Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and C.J. Uzomah to throw to. 

If you surround Wilson with as much elite talent as possible, you do so intending to make it impossible for him to fail. And if he eventually still doesn't live up to his lofty draft status, then the next Jets quarterback will be in line to inherit the riches of having a strong supporting cast.

"Lift you up, not the other way around." Robert Saleh's words to Wilson when the Jets drafted him. It's time to continue living up to that promise. 

NY Jets New Year's Resolution No. 2: Settling the quarterback room for Zach Wilson

The Jets need to settle their quarterback room by eliminating the number of cooks they currently have in that kitchen.  The team has QB coach Rob Calabrese and special assistants John Beck and Matt Cavanaugh chipping in to aid Zach Wilson and the Jets quarterbacks.

It's time to make that process singular. There are too many voices. 

The unfortunate and untimely passing of pass-game coordinator Greg Knapp forced the Jets to scramble on short notice to replace someone who was going to be a key figure in Zach Wilson's development.

Knapp was not only a vital hire for Robert Saleh's staff as a proponent for Zach Wilson, but he was going to aid in helping the team's young offensive coaches like Mike LaFleur. 

The loss of Knapp in the summer led to the Jets bringing on veteran coach Matt Cavanaugh to their staff. And then eventually, the team's brass convinced QB guru John Beck to join the team in mid-stream when Zach Wilson went down due to a knee injury — all temporary solutions to what needs to be a long-term fix.

The Jets need to decide who will help lead and develop Zach Wilson the rest of the way, whether that means making a strong financial commitment toward Wilson's personal coach John Beck to remain in-house or going outside Florham Park to seek someone new. 

Another reason for stabilizing and refining the coaching staff on offense is to create a pipeline for what could eventually end up being the departure of Mike LaFleur. 

Based on how well he has grown as a first-time NFL play-caller, there is going to come a time when Mike LaFleur is on NFL teams' radars for head coach openings.

Skeptics could correctly surmise that the same was said of former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady, whose star diminished almost as quickly as it rose. After all, there's no question that how well Wilson develops could determine LaFleur's ascent into a head coaching role.

However, based on the early returns and his performance this year, It's hard not to see a future where an NFL team turns the keys of their franchise over to LaFleur. It's a copycat league, and teams might hope that Mike can match his brother Matt's early success in Green Bay.

The Jets have to prioritize streamlining their communication system for Wilson, but also in setting up a clear succession plan at offensive coordinator for the day that LaFleur moves on. If things break right for Zach Wilson and the Jets offense in 2022, that could be a year from now.

NY Jets New Year's Resolution No. 3: The Jets need to retain their best veteran players

There's a huge emphasis, and rightfully so, on the youth of the Jets roster. The team is building from the draft and taking the approach of growing from within. But one of the ways to continue the latter is retaining veteran players who have earned their keep and proven their value to the franchise. 

It's been a never-ending cycle of the Jets letting go of or undervaluing their best contributors. The truth is that it's very likely that we could see the same outcome with the likes of Marcus Maye and Jamison Crowder — two quality Jets veteran players who are pending free agents.

Both players are of high character, but the time may have come for them to part ways with Gang Green this offseason.

This season, another veteran player who has gone above the call of duty has been linebacker C.J. Mosley. It hasn't always been pretty for him or the Jets' inexperienced and injury-plagued defense, but Mosley has been one of, if not the Jets' most consistent performers in 2021.

And perhaps, without question, the team's best leader. It would be tough to watch the Jets move on from Mosley, who was voted a Pro Bowl alternate by his peers, coaches, and fans. But it's possible that Mosley could be playing his last days with the green and white because of his age and salary.

Setting aside the obvious of the team eventually extending Quinnen Williams to a long-term deal, two specific veteran Jets players have earned the right to remain with the franchise for years to come. 

Braxton Berrios, a fan favorite, is a free agent that could find a market for himself this spring. The versatile playmaker is one of the Jets' most reliable role players, and Joe Douglas needs to re-sign him to a long-term deal.

Players like Berrios bring value to not only offense and special teams, but to the team's locker room. The Jets have made a mistake in the past of undervaluing special teams' stars. Douglas can't afford to repeat the franchise's pattern of devaluing the role and assuming that it can be easily replaced.

It's time for the Jets to start rewarding some of their best in-house players. It sends a positive message to not only the fan base but, more importantly, the locker room.

Creating a culture that everyone wants to be a part of is establishing an environment where players who perform well are rewarded, recognized, and appreciated. If you are a free agent, why would you want to join a team that doesn't take care of its own players? 

Call me convinced on offensive tackle George Fant. He has always been a solid pro, but Fant has been an elite performer this year. You could argue that he has been the Jets' best overall player in 2021.

No one on the Jets offense has played at a more consistent or higher level than Fant has this season. Always a plus athlete for his position, Fant has been a natural fit in the Jets' new offensive scheme, which emphasizes movement skills.

Fant has been a savior for the Jets at the crucial left tackle spot since Mekhi Becton went down. Fant has been so good on the blindside that some people are actually suggesting that Becton move over to the right tackle spot next season to keep Fant where he is currently excelling.

Joe Douglas and his moves in free agency have not exactly panned out as planned to this point. Some of it has had to do with misfortune, like the long-term injuries with Carl Lawson and Corey Davis. But you could argue that Douglas' best signing has been George Fant.

A lot has flipped in the last year, but Fant and even Connor McGovern look like better acquisitions now than they did at the end of 2020. The change in the scheme has certainly helped, but players like Fant have shown their value on the field and off.

This past week against Jacksonville, not only did Fant turn in another stellar performance keeping the pocket clean, but he displayed his great effort level and athleticism on a crucial play in the victory, where he hustled and dove to break up a potentially game-changing interception.

It's that type of effort play from players you want in your building long term. 

Fant is under contract for the 2022 season and will be 31-years-old when he eventually enters free agency in 2023. So it's possible that the Jets brass will not budge and wait out next season to see if he can match what he did in 2021.

But you could argue that Fant has earned a long-term extension with the team. Not only would it be a gesture of good faith by rewarding him for his quality of play and leadership, but the Jets can actually free up some cap room by extending Fant now. He carries a large cap hit of over $10 million in 2022.

The NFL is not a charity system, and the players know that. Franchises always do what is in the best interest of themselves first. But in the case of George Fant, he's earning the right to be a Jet for much longer than just another season.

The Jets organization should strive for a culture where players like Fant and Berrios get rewarded for their character and level of play, rather than ignored and discarded.

NY Jets New Year's Resolution No. 4: The Jets should be in playoff contention a year from now

To make this resolution happen, a lot needs to go right for the Jets this coming offseason. And the Jets need a serious stroke of good luck when it comes to injuries. Like all NFL teams, the Jets have had to endure injuries to key players, but no team in the last few years has been hit with more misfortune than the Jets.

This current season, virtually all of the Jets' most significant draft picks and free-agent pickups have either missed considerable time or have been lost for the entire year. See Carl Lawson, Marcus Maye, Mekhi Becton, Lamarcus Joyner, Corey Davis, Michael Carter, Zach Wilson, Elijah Moore, etc.

For the Jets to potentially be able to break up their current franchise tying playoff drought, they'll need plenty of luck, but they will also need to hit a home run in the draft and free agency.

The Jets will also hope that their current first-year players get better in year two, most importantly, Zach Wilson. But it's not crazy as you think for the Jets to potentially go from a four-win campaign to an eight or nine-win season a year from now, or at least be somewhere in that neighborhood next season during this time next year. 

To get into contention by late December in an expanded NFL playoff field, all a team needs to do is hover at or near the 500. mark. Take a look at the current playoff picture in both conferences. Several NFL teams are in contention with two weeks to go in the regular season that fit those criteria.

A year ago at this time, one of the worst teams in the league, the Cincinnati Bengals, finished the season with four wins. Other teams like the Patriots and Chargers finished below 500. and were way out of the mix come December. A year later, these aforementioned franchises are all in the hunt.

It's been so long since the Jets have played meaningful games late in the year, save for a brief hiccup six years ago in 2015. This timeframe of the year for the Jets has always been about impending changes and draft positioning.

Maybe, just maybe, 2022 could be the Jets' return to relevance — something that has eluded them since the now very distant days of Rex Ryan.

There have been some pundits that have comically referred to the Jets' 2021 season as an unmitigated disaster. Truthfully, you could label the last decade for the franchise as that, but in 2021, this season wasn't about wins and losses.

Most reasonable followers of the Jets knew that this season's record didn't matter. Expectations were justifiably tempered.

For a first-year head coach taking over a franchise that was resetting and rebuilding with the league's youngest roster, any hope or a delusion of a quick Jets turnaround in 2021 was dashed when the summer came along, and key star players went down.

However, the 2022 Jets season won't have the same low expectation level that 2021 did. Progress will be demanded and expected. Jets fans don't like the idea that the Saleh and Douglas tandem could survive another subpar year in 2022, but they could, depending on the circumstances and variables involved.

However, if the franchise is at the bottom of the league again in that two to four-win territory come next December, all bets could be off. 

In all likelihood, 2023 will be the put-up or shut-up time for Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh one way or the other. The Johnsons are giving the new regime plenty of rope to make it work.

But for the Jets franchise to finally have hope, the team will need to start providing some tangible evidence in 2022. Getting to December while being mathematically alive for a playoff spot would be the first real sign of promise the Jets have had in years.

The goal in 2021 wasn't for the team to become overnight contenders, and the team's approach has run counter to that mindset. The purpose of building through the draft and from within is to achieve long-term sustainable success.

But the only way to start showing signs of that becoming a reality is by starting to win more games. That's going to be the expectation level for the new year.