Jets Week 1 Depth Chart Projection (Who Leads Gang Green Into Battle vs. Titans?)

The start of the Jets' 2026 regular season is upon us. As Week 1 arrives, organizations around the league are tasked with filling out depth charts ahead of their first game to determine which players will be on the field more than others.

In some cases, the depth chart could be key to determining which players end up as healthy scratches.

In the case of the Jets, head coach Aaron Glenn & Co. are walking into a Week 1 showdown against the Titans. Unlike in past years, though, Gang Green's roster is more talented than the Titans', and that leads some to predict a victory to open the season.

Will that be the case? It's time to look at what the Jets' depth chart could look like against the Titans this weekend.

Quarterback

QB1: Geno Smith
QB2: Cade Klubnik

No changes. No surprises. The Jets are going into 2026 with Cade Klubnik as the backup to Geno Smith due to his strong training camp and solid preseason. This team will go as far as Smith takes them, though. The veteran signal-caller is prime for a successful season, but a lot has to work right for him to do so.

Running back

RB1: Breece Hall
RB2: Braelon Allen
RB3: Isaiah Davis
RB4: Kene Nwangwu
FB1: Andrew Beck

There will be a question of whether or not the Jets will have both Breece Hall and Isaiah Davis ready to go for Week 1. While Braelon Allen is a competent backup, he isn't ready to handle the entire offensive rushing load. I expect Hall to play Week 1 and be effective. This "by committee" approach will be a heavy focus, though.

Wide receiver

WR1: Garrett Wilson
WR2: Adonai Mitchell
WR3: Omar Cooper Jr.
WR4: Isaiah Williams
WR5: Arian Smith
WR6: Tim Patrick

I expect Tim Patrick to be a healthy scratch on Sunday, with Arian Smith being one of the two gunners on the team.

Arian Smith practices. — Don't be surprised if Arian Smith gets the nod over Tim Patrick as the Jets' WR6 this weekend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On offense, this group will be led by Garrett Wilson, with AD Mitchell and Omar Cooper Jr. getting plenty of reps across the field as well. It's a much better group than the Jets have had in recent years.

Tight end

TE1: Mason Taylor
TE2: Kenyon Sadiq
TE3: Jeremy Ruckert
TE4: Jelani Woods

No player has looked more impressive at the end of camp than Mason Taylor. The second-year tight end looks like he is on the cusp of a major breakout in this offense. Behind him, Kenyon Sadiq should have plenty of reps on offense as a first-round rookie, with Jeremy Ruckert being the team's prime blocking tight end. Expect Jelani Woods to be a healthy scratch against Tennessee.

Offensive line

LT: Olu Fashanu, Max Mitchell
LG: Dylan Parham
C: Josh Myers, Jordan Meredith
RG: Joe Tippmann
RT: Armand Membou, Chukwuma Okorafor

It's a bit of a surprise that the Jets currently only have eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster. That will probably change by the midway point of the week ahead. That said, the starting line should be good enough to be among the best in the league, with Jordan Meredith, Max Mitchell and Chukwuma Okorafor all quality backups behind them around the line.

Defensive line

DE: David Onyemata, Jowon Briggs, Harrison Phillips,
NT: T’Vondre Sweat, Darrell Jackson Jr.

New York focused heavily on addressing its lack of size inside during the offseason. All five players on the active roster are expected to get playing time in a rotation. T'Vondre Sweat and David Onyamata specifically will be more heavily used in run downs, while Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs and Darrell Jackson Jr. should get time to rush the passer.

Outside linebacker

LOLB: David Bailey, Kingsley Enagbare, Braiden McGregor
ROLB: Joseph Ossai, Will McDonald IV

All eyes are going to be on second overall pick David Bailey after an electric training camp.

David Bailey no helmet. — David Bailey will play a key role in how effective the Jets' pass rush is this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Behind him, Will McDonald IV, Joseph Ossai, and Kingsley Enagbare will be part of their own rotation. Ossai's injury could keep him out of Week 1, but there is a question about who backs him up as the fourth edge rusher. It could be Braiden McGregor, but a call-up for someone like Nate Lynn makes sense, too.

Inside linebacker

MLB: Demario Davis, Kiko Mauigoa, Trevin Wallace
WLB: Jamien Sherwood, Marcelino McCracy-Ball

Trevin Wallace was a strong waiver wire pickup to build on the depth of the linebacker position. He should be the third linebacker to see the field in a base 4-3 look. That said, the group will be made or broken by the development of Jamien Sherwood and whether or not Demario Davis has enough left in the tank.

Cornerback

LCB: Azareye'h Thomas, Nahshon Wright
RCB: Brandon Stephens, Qwan’tez Stiggers
NB: Jarvis Brownlee, D'Angelo Ponds

D'Angelo Ponds hasn't practiced with the team yet, so it is hard to see him on the field at all on defense for Week 1. Beside him, the trio of Azareye'h Thomas, Brandon Stephens, and Jarvis Brownlee have had solid camps and are deserving of their roles in the starting lineup. They will be tested to begin the year, though.

Safety

SS: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco
FS: Dane Belton, Malachi Moore

No major changes here. Dane Belton was the best safety behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and is expected to be the starter. Andre Cisco picked up his play towards the end of camp, but is expected to be the third safety going forward. His coverage skills will keep him on the field more than people think, though. Malachi Moore is nothing but a special teams player at this point.

Special teams

K: Blake Grupe
P: Austin McNamara
LS: Thomas Hennessy

Blake Grupe will likely walk into Week 1 as the starting kicker, barring any poor practice performances or if one of the other kickers who were worked out last week is added to the roster.

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