FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets defense just finished a season that wasn’t just bad—it was statistically impossible. After 17 games, the Gang Green secondary recorded zero interceptions, becoming the first team in NFL history to fail to pick off a single pass in a season. While the New England Patriots celebrated their first AFC East title since 2019, the Jets were left staring at a turnover margin that looked more like a typo than a professional stat sheet.
The Standard is the Problem
New England didn’t just win the division in 2025; they bullied it. Finishing with a 5-1 division record, their only slip-up was a second-half collapse against the Bills where they blew a 24-7 lead. Outside of that, the Patriots were a buzzsaw, particularly against New York. The Jets were swept in humiliating fashion, losing 27-14 on Thursday Night Football before a 42-10 Week 17 blowout that felt like a mercy killing.
The average winning margin in New England’s five divisional wins sat at a staggering 16.2 points. If Aaron Glenn wants to keep his job as head coach, he has to find a way to make Drake Maye uncomfortable. Right now, the Jets’ secondary is a “get right” game for every quarterback in the league. The midseason trade of Sauce Gardner to the Colts for two first-round picks left a void that wasn’t just a talent gap—it was a black hole.
The Lockdown Solution: Mansoor Delane
Enter LSU’s Mansoor Delane. If the Jets are going to use the No. 2 overall pick they secured after a 3-14 campaign, it has to be on a cornerstone. Delane isn’t just a prospect; he’s a schematic Eraser. During his lone year in Baton Rouge after transferring from Virginia Tech, Delane allowed a microscopic 40% completion rate. He gave up only 14 catches in 12 games, averaging just 13.8 yards allowed per game.
The logic is simple: New England’s offense, while potent, showed cracks when facing elite man-to-man coverage. In the final stretch of the season, the Patriots’ PPG dropped to 14.7 when facing the likes of Devon Witherspoon and Pat Surtain II. Stefon Diggs, the engine of that New England air attack, failed to eclipse 40 yards in those matchups. Delane has the physical tools—6’0” frame and elite hip fluidity—to mirror Diggs and force Maye to look elsewhere.
- Draft Capital: Jets hold picks No. 2 and No. 16 (via Indianapolis).
- The Foundation: DT Jowon Briggs (4.0 sacks) and edge rushers Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald are solid; the DB room is the “core issue.”
- The Pedigree: Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski recently labeled Delane as the “perfect fit” for Glenn’s aggressive system.
“To go a whole season without a takeaway in the air… it’s baffling. We have the pass rush with Jermaine and Will, but we aren’t finishing the plays. We need dogs in the room who believe the ball belongs to them.”
— Aaron Glenn, New York Jets Head Coach
Draft Implications: A New Era in the AFC East?
The Jets are at a crossroads. They have the interior talent with rising star Jowon Briggs, who stepped up after the Quinnen Williams trade to Dallas. They have the MIKE linebacker in Jamien Sherwood. But in a division where the Patriots are currently the gold standard, you cannot survive without a No. 1 cornerback.
Selecting Delane at No. 2 doesn’t just fix the “zero interception” embarrassment—it resets the rivalry. If New York can pairing a lockdown rookie with the assets they gained from the Colts, the 2026 season won’t be about historical failure; it’ll be about the hunt for New England’s throne.