Recent Jets WR Is Perfect Reunion Target Late in Free Agency

Reuniting with a familiar face should be on New York's radar.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL offseason has entered its next phase with the 2026 draft less than two weeks away. The New York Jets will be looking to add talent across the roster via their nine upcoming draft picks, including four selections in the top 45 alone (No. 2, 16, 33, and 44).

The NFL Draft will be a useful tool for the Jets to flesh out head coach Aaron Glenn's lineup, but it isn't the only avenue to add talent. Free agency is still an option, even in mid-April, and while most of the big-name players found new homes last month, there are still some intriguing role players looking for work, including one ex-Jets wide receiver who could be brought in for a reunion.

That WR in question? Josh Reynolds.

Jets Should Consider a Josh Reynolds Reunion

Even if the Jets target Ohio State's Carnell Tate or any other wideout in Round 1, they're still going to need to improve their WR depth at some point. Garrett Wilson is the only consistently reliable wideout on the roster at the moment, as the likes Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams, Arian Smith, and Irvin Charles are either unproven or don't offer much upside.

Jul 24, 2025; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) speaks to the media during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Reynolds is exactly the type of player who the Jets should want as the WR3/4. For starters, the familiarity with Glenn and his coaching staff is already there.

New York signed Reynolds to a one-year contract last offseason, hoping to deepend the WR room. His run was limited to five games (three starts), in which he caught 11 passes on 21 targets for 101 receiving yards, before landing on the injured reserve with a hip issue in October.

Even though the small sample size won't knock anyone's socks off, Reynolds' brief time with the Jets showed that he can be a solid supporting cast member. He was likely asked too much when he opened the 2025 campaign as New York's WR2, but there'd be nothing wrong with re-signing him for the No. 3 or 4 spots, especially since he was on pace for 37 catches and 343 receiving yards before he was hurt.

A Return Could Have a Widespread Impact

That's the type of veteran WR who the Jets need around, whether they draft a rookie highly or not. Mitchell, (after joining New York) Williams, and Smith combined for 57 catches, 546 receiving yards, and two touchdowns last season. There's still plenty of room for them to grow, as they're all 25 years old or younger, and the Jets can help their development by signing Reynolds, whether it's to help take pressure of their shoulders or light a fire beneath them via competition.

Reynolds' impact could extend beyond being a pass-catcher, as he's earned a reputation for being a solid blocker. That's a trait that Glenn made sure to mention after the Jets signed Reynolds last offseason, via team reporter Harrison Glaser.

"The thing about Josh is he starts out as a really really good blocker, so he's gonna be able to help create explosive plays in the run game, and that's one thing we talk about quite a bit: 'If you don't block, you don't get the rock,'" Glenn said on March 31, 2025. "Those guys get that, and for him to be able to beat 1-on-1 coverage the way he did in Detroit, I'm looking forward to seeing him do that again."

It's hard to imagine that Glenn's opinion on Reynolds would change quickly, and the Jets' HC could be willing to offer the latter a second chance after last season ended prematurely. The fact that the pair are familiar with each other after their time with the Detroit Lions only adds to the possibility that Glenn will be willing to offer Reynolds a lifeline.

At the end of the day, a reunion would be mutually beneficial for Reynolds and the Jets. New York would be offering him a familiar spot to try bouncing back after a season-ending injury, while he'd provide the Jets with some much needed WR depth and an additional veteran voice in the locker room.

Considering how a one-year, "prove-it" contract wouldn't require much of a financial commitment, the Jets should explore bringing Reynolds back to the fold before another WR-needy team beats them to the punch.

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