The New York Jets are sitting on a goldmine, heading into the 2026 regular season holding not one, not two, but *three* 2027 first-round draft picks. Forget focusing just on Super Bowl 61 for a minute, because what unfolds over the next few months is going to completely shape the 2027 NFL Draft, and the Jets are poised to be the biggest beneficiaries.
How the Jets Stacked Their 2027 Deck
It’s all about those midseason trades that paid off big time for the Jets. They snagged a 2027 first-rounder from the Indianapolis Colts when they shipped cornerback ‘Sauce’ Gardner their way. That 2026 first the Jets got from Indy already “blew up” for the Colts, and now the 2027 one looms. But that’s not all. The Jets also hauled in another 2027 first-round pick from the Dallas Cowboys. That one came in a deal that sent defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to Dallas. So yeah, the Jets are set up with a native first, which everyone expects to be a top 10 pick, plus these two extra beauties.
The Crucial Twist That Could Sting Dallas (or Green Bay)
Here’s where it gets spicy, and this is the real kicker with one of those extra picks. The deal with Dallas for Quinnen Williams wasn’t just a straight swap for the Cowboys’ pick. Oh no. Dallas is sending the Jets the “better” of its native pick or the Green Bay Packers’ first-rounder. Think about that for a second: whichever of those two teams, the Cowboys or the Packers, ends up with the worse record in 2026, their first-round pick in 2027 is going straight to East Rutherford. Talk about high stakes for those two NFC teams, right?
The Indianapolis Colts, fresh off an 8-9 collapse last season despite an 8-2 start, are a huge question mark. That fall came after Daniel Jones went down with an Achilles rupture. He’s back for Week 1, but his play, alongside Jonathan Taylor needing to stay elite at running back, could make or break their season. FanDuel Sportsbook has their over/under win total at a modest 7.5. Jets fans are absolutely praying for the under to hit, which would send a really nice pick their way.
Then there are the Cowboys and Packers. Dallas canned defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after a “layoff-caliber defense” last season, even though their offense was “playoff-caliber.” If Brian Schottenheimer’s offense keeps humming, that retooled defense just needs to be average to get them back to the postseason, a place they haven’t been since 2023. As for Green Bay, they’ve been stuck as the 7-seed three years in a row. Are they going to break free or slide, potentially handing the Jets a higher pick?
What It All Means For the Next Few Months
So, as the 2026 regular season kicks off, it’s not just about who’s making a Super Bowl run. Keep your eyes glued to how the Colts, Cowboys, and Packers perform. Every single win and loss for those teams directly impacts the Jets’ 2027 draft capital. Which NFC team is going to hand the Jets a lottery pick? We’ll find out soon enough!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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