The New York Jets enter the 2024 season with a heightened sense of purpose. Gone are the days when they can be considered lovable losers — 2024 is the year things must drastically change for the organization.
Behind the arm of Aaron Rodgers, and a deep supporting cast, the Jets are expected to set plenty of records entering their fourth season under head coach Robert Saleh. Today, we break down some of those records and bold predictions surrounding the team entering the new year.
5 Bold Predictions for Jets in 2024
As is the case with every NFL team, there are plenty of bold claims to be made with optimism for the team’s best players.
Whether it be the emergence of young superstars or the dominance of already elite players, the weeks leading up to training camp are a time to put forth some bold predictions going into the new year.
For the Jets, they are in a unique situation. They have a roster brimming with top talent and quality depth but have yet to turn that into wins over the last few years.
For them to change that, New York will need some of these bold predictions to come true.
Garrett Wilson Sets Targets Record
Plenty of receivers have gotten close to Marvin Harrison’s target record of 205 (set in his record-breaking 2002 season) but have come up short.
That ends this season with Garrett Wilson and the Jets.
Wilson is New York’s best receiver and is on the precipice of a breakout season with Rodgers back at quarterback. While the Jets added plenty of receiving pieces to their corps, Wilson is such an important part of the offense that it’s not hard to see him average around 15 targets a game.
I predicted he would break the record last season, but injuries got in the way. This year, no such thing will happen to the Jets’ top receiver.
Breece Hall Records 2,000 Yards From Scrimmage
Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley are currently known as two of the best complete running backs in the NFL.
By the end of the 2024 season, Breece Hall will surpass both of them.
While New York has the depth to spell its talented rusher from time to time, being a full two years removed from his ACL injury means that Hall is back to 100% for 2024 and could get back to his extremely efficient numbers during his rookie season (almost six yards per touch).
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The bold prediction here is that will Hall not only record his first 1,000-yard season but also put up over 2,000 total yards of offense — a sign of dominance at a position continuing to lose its value.
Bet high on Hall this year.
Haason Reddick Wins Defensive Player of the Year
Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, and Quincy Williams are all players who are elite enough to be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.
They just won’t be the Jet who actually wins it.
The trade for Reddick is a gamble simply because he has not appeared in offseason workouts, but that won’t hurt the All-Pro player going into the new year. Reddick is one of two players in the league with 10+ sacks each of the last four seasons.
We predict that he will break through his career-high mark in sacks (16) and win the award many thought he should’ve won in 2022. Reddick’s clutch play coupled with the way the Jets play defense is a perfect match.
Offensive Line Remains (Relatively) Healthy
This is arguably the boldest of all takes surrounding the Jets this season. Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, and Alijah Vera-Tucker have dealt with plenty of injuries over the last few years, so it’s hard to assume they’ll magically stay healthy in 2024.
But injury luck is a fickle thing. One year a team deals with a rash of injuries, and in the next, they don’t deal with a single one of serious consequence.
When discussing the current offensive line, it’s important to remember that the Jets used a lot of resources on the depth of the position via the draft with the selections of Max Mitchell, Carter Warren, and now Olu Fashanu. The Jets are better prepared for another doomsday scenario than before.
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Still, our bold prediction is that this group stays relatively healthy … for the most part. I think Smith could play in 14-15 games this season, while AVT plays a full year thanks to him finally being in his natural role at right guard.
It may seem outlandish, but this is something that can certainly happen.
Jets Win 12 Games, Reach AFC Championship
So many major media outlets have touted the talent the Jets have across the board. For that reason, the expectation for New York is to reach the playoffs for the first time in 13 years at the very least.
Just making the playoffs won’t be enough, though. The Jets and their coaching staff are in a make-or-break season. Competing for a playoff spot won’t be enough for Saleh and his staff to feel 100% safe that they will retain their roles in 2025.
They have to be true title contenders.
Our biggest bold prediction, thanks to the Jets’ workable schedule, is that New York will not only win the AFC East by going 12-5 but win two playoff games and reach the AFC Championship Game.
While all bets are off for a potential matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, a conference title appearance would be a successful year for the Jets.
