FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. The arduous QB chase: What price, joy?
The Jets (3-9) find themselves in a strange place as they try to end this disappointing season on an upswing -- a place that has created conflicting emotions for fans. The more they win, the harder it becomes to secure a quarterback in the 2026 draft.
Forget about the No. 1 pick; the chances of that happening are down to 1.9%, according to ESPN Analytics. They have a 39.8% shot for a top-five pick, 93.1% for a top-10 choice. The more they slip in the draft order, the more it will cost to trade up.
The Jets haven't been in this situation -- returning coach, desperate need for a quarterback -- since 2017. That year, the Todd Bowles-coached Jets lost their last four games, finishing 5-11, and still had to trade up for the quarterback they coveted in the 2018 draft (Sam Darnold).
"No matter what the situation is, no matter what happens on the outside, we're trying to win. Period, point blank," Glenn said, pouring cold water on the draft-positioning issue. "To me, that's a moot question to me because we're trying to win."
There are some folks in the scouting industry who believe Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey might punt on a quarterback, waiting until the 2027 draft to make their big splash. Remember, they have three first-round picks in '27, along with two in '26.
There are several variables. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Dante Moore (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) are the consensus top prospects, but there's some thought that Moore and Simpson, who have only 17 and 13 career starts, respectively, might return to school for more seasoning (and more NIL money).
If it's a "one-man" quarterback class -- Mendoza -- the law of supply and demand will mean a steep cost for trading up. The drop-off between the top three and the next tier is huge, according to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid.
"The one thing I love that the Jets have done is they've given themselves so much flexibility to where they don't have to press and fill it right away," Reid said on the "Flight Deck" podcast.
Reid acknowledged it can be "risky" to wait, but added, "Ultimately, I don't think they should settle on one of these guys if they don't love these quarterbacks, especially inside the top 10. That's where a lot of franchises go wrong."
The Jets will be reminded of that Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where former draft disappointment Zach Wilson (No. 2 overall in 2021) will be a backup for the Miami Dolphins.
2. Fields' farewell? Former starting quarterback Justin Fields (knee) is out Sunday, and you can't help but wonder if we've seen the last of him in a Jets' uniform. Glenn, noncommittal on Fields' status for next week, is intrigued by rookie Brady Cook, who moves into the QB2 role.
"He's going to be a quarterback in this league, I do know that," Glenn said of Cook, who has yet to take an NFL snap. "I can't tell you when, but he'll be a quarterback in this league."
If Cook remains the backup for the rest of the season, he'd have a shorter runway to actual playing time. Fields' knee soreness flared up Wednesday, Glenn said -- one week after Fields expressed "mixed feelings" to reporters about the prospect of being used in a gadget-type role. In that interview, a week after his benching, Fields said he was "still not necessarily as healthy as I want to be right now." He hasn't played since his demotion.
3. Jet speed: The Dolphins are known for their team speed, especially on offense, but here's a nugget that might surprise you, the Jets are the fastest team in the league, based on GPS data gathered this season, per Next Gen Stats. The Dolphins are 10th.
Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell recorded the fastest speed for any ball carrier in Week 13, reaching 20.97 mph on his 52-yard touchdown reception -- the highlight play in his first 100-yard receiving game.
4. Fast feet, good cause: The cleats Mitchell wore on his first career TD are special to him. As part of the "My Cause My Cleats" campaign, his are designed to raise awareness for children with diabetes.
Mitchell is a Type 1 diabetic, meaning his body doesn't produce enough insulin. He was diagnosed seven years ago, when he was 16.
"At that time, the only real diabetics that were known in the league were Jay Cutler -- and he didn't really run -- and then Patrick Peterson, who was a Type 2 diabetic," Mitchell told ESPN. "Now, in this day and age, you have myself and Mark Andrews.
"There are a lot of people you can look at and say, 'He's OK. He has what I have and he's able to do this.' That was my biggest thing when I first got diagnosed. That was the only question I asked the doctor: Am I still going to be able to play football?"
Mitchell said he manages his diabetes with constant blood-sugar checks, including before games. He often wears a Dexcom, which is a glucose meter. If his blood sugar is low on game day, he'll grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a Honey Stinger waffle.
His hope is that his story can inspire young athletes with diabetes.
"I've been waiting to hit that celly my whole life"@MoCityMitch reacting to his first career TD 🥹 pic.twitter.com/qYiFvbbq1G
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 30, 2025
5. Inside job: The coaches expected Jowon Briggs, acquired in an August trade with the Cleveland Browns, to be a rotational player with some run-stopping ability. He has exceeded those expectations.
Not only has Briggs slid into Quinnen Williams' starting spot, but he's generating good pass rush from the interior. His pressure percentage (14.1) ranks second among defensive tackles (minimum: 150 pass rushes), per Next Gen Stats. Only the New England Patriots' Christian Barmore (14.5) has a higher percentage.
It's a small sample size, but Briggs provides hope at an important position.
6. Interception drought update: The last Jets player to intercept a pass was Ashtyn Davis -- the final game last season against Miami. He had two that day. Now Davis will be back at MetLife as a member of the Dolphins.
Maybe his presence will have some sort of karmic impact on the Jets, who have gone 12 games and 358 pass attempts without making an interception.
"Puzzling" was how Glenn described the slump. The league record is 14 straight games without a pick (San Francisco 49ers, 2024).
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is tied for the league lead with 14 interceptions, so maybe he'll gift one to the Jets.
7. Redemption game? One of the best success stories on the Jets is Isaiah Williams, who played his way out of a job in the last meeting against the Dolphins. He fumbled on a kickoff and fielded a punt inside his own 5-yard line, two gaffes that loomed large in the loss.
A few days later, Williams was cut. Everyone assumed he was toast, but he returned on the practice squad and worked his way back. Since the Miami debacle, he's sixth in kickoff returns (30.2) and sixth in punt returns (12.7). In fact, he scored on a punt return.
"I know he made mistakes early on, but I truly believe in this player," said Glenn, who deserves credit for giving Williams a second chance.
8. Less painful: The 2026 cap hit for Aaron Rodgers isn't as large as originally thought. It will be $28 million, not $35 million, according to Joel Corry of CBS Sports. The Jets received a $7 million cap credit, the prorated portion of an option bonus that wasn't exercised. It was applied to this year's cap, raising his cap charge from $14 million to $21 million.
9. Perfect: Glenn is 3-for-3 on replay challenges, making him one of only seven first-time head coaches since 2007 to win his first three, per Stats Perform. The Jets and Kansas City Chiefs are the only teams at 100% this season.
10. The last word: "[I'm] in the moment, man. Tomorrow's not born. Yesterday's dead." -- quarterback Tyrod Taylor, 36, on his future and whether he wants to play next season.