The Patriots are currently on their summer break before training camp begins in mid-July, but many teams around the league are finishing up minicamp, including those in the AFC East.
The Jets are still practicing, and although it would be fair to say that they're not exactly a threat to what the Patriots are trying to accomplish in 2026, it would be ignorant to overlook some of the good things coming out of their offseason, with a rising star wide receiver being one of them.
After trading with the Colts last year in a blockbuster move that sent cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indy, the Jets acquired Adonai Mitchell, who went on to have a lackluster first year in New York. That's not exactly uncommon for the Jets, but it doesn't appear the trend will continue into this upcoming season.
In fact, the team posted a hype video showing an impressive Mitchell catch, and that's enough for the Patriots to officially keep his progress on their radar, especially after the Jets had an impressive draft just a few months ago, too.
Year 3 AD Mitchell? 📈
— JetNation (@JetNation) June 17, 2026
(🎥 : @nyjets) pic.twitter.com/9Uf1hizJzt
With more consistency from his quarterback, now that Geno Smith is under center instead of Justin Fields, Mitchell is predicted to have a better season, and that's troublesome for the Patriots' defense.
Adonai Mitchell stands out at Jets practice, sending a message that the Jets might be bigger competition in 2026
A 2026 draft class headlined by pass rusher David Bailey and tight end Kenyon Sadiq was already a strong message sent to the division, particularly the Patriots. Add in receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and the rise of Mitchell, and New England's defense is officially on notice.
Clearly, the higher-ups in New York finally took the offseason seriously and made massive upgrades to their roster, far more than they have in recent years. That starts at quarterback, and while Smith is far from elite, he has been a problem for the Patriots in recent years, including last season.
Equipping him with elite weapons like Cooper and Sadiq makes it reasonable to assume that he will perform better than expected. Throwing in a progressing Mitchell, too, and the Jets could become a bit of a problem for New England this season.
They're already facing one of the toughest schedules in the league, but there was a silver lining: facing the Dolphins and Jets is almost guaranteed to be a win. That might not be the case this fall, which puts a lot of pressure on their defense to maintain last year's level of production and even build on it.
The Jets are taking the task at hand seriously, and although they're looking good so far this offseason, there is a silver lining to it all: it's just practice. Plenty of teams look good in the spring and summer, but they fall on their faces once the season starts.
That shouldn't be what we see from the Patriots, but it very easily could be what we see from the Jets, and that might be exactly what New England needs to hold onto their divisional title for another year.
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