The New England Patriots won the AFC East in 2025 for the first time since 2019. They finished with a 5-1 division record, and blowing a 24-7 halftime lead to the Bills, while missing Milton Williams and Robert Spillane, was their only blemish.
The average winning margin in their five wins was 16.2 points, with a pair of especially impressive wins, by 32 and 28 over the Jets and Dolphins, carrying the bulk of that average. Their sworn rivals in New York were swept this season, losing 27-14 on a TNF matchup and 42-10 in Week 17.
Just about everything on the Jets' roster needs upgrading except their offensive tackles. They hold a pair of first-round picks, their own at No. 2 overall and No. 16, acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in the midseason Sauce Gardner trade.
The Jets also set an unbreakable NFL record this year: they became the first team to fail to record a single interception in a season. In total, the Jets' defense forced only four turnovers, all of which were fumble recoveries.
Head coach and former cornerback Aaron Glenn will no doubt look to improve the defensive backfield through the draft, and a certain SEC cornerback could be an excellent fit.
LSU's Mansoor Delane would be a great fit for the Jets
If the Jets are looking to select a cornerback, they shouldn't look much further than Mansoor Delane. The LSU star is projected to be a top-10 pick and will likely be the first cornerback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Jets' defense, as bad as they were last season, is fixable. Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs is a rising star, while Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald are very sound edge defenders. Jamien Sherwood is a solid MIKE linebacker.
The defensive backfield is the core issue on New York's defense, and to give New England serious issues, they'll need to make additions. Delane was mentioned as the best fit for the Jets in a recent article from Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski.
After three solid seasons at Virginia Tech, Delane's production was the best it's ever been during his sole year in Baton Rouge. He allowed a 40% completion rate (just 14 catches) in his 12 games this season for an average of 13.8 yards per game.
The Patriots struggled to move the ball against top cornerbacks this year. Across the last three games of the year, New England faced Devon Witherspoon, Pat Surtain, and Derek Stingley. The offense averaged 14.7 PPG across those matchups, while Stefon Diggs didn't eclipse 40 yards.
No matter how you slice it, the Jets adding a top-tier cornerback in the draft would be a major hinderance on New England's offense. I wouldn't expect him to elevate the entire defense immediately, but there's no doubt Delane would be a vast improvement over the players their defensive backfield features now.