A new era for the Jets begins on Sunday when they face the Steelers and old friend Aaron Rodgers at MetLife Stadium in their first game under coach Aaron Glenn.

There’s obviously the juicy storyline right off the bat, after Glenn’s first big decision was to let Rodgers walk after the Jets’ two-year failed experiment with the future Hall of Famer. But there’s a lot going on beyond that in 2025, including their new quarterback Justin Fields who is still trying to prove his worth a viable NFL starter, an uncertain future for one of their fan favorites. And, of course, the Jets are trying to break the longest playoff drought in North American major professional sports before it reaches 15 years.

Offensive line still a strength?

It’s not a full-blown crisis, and it’s not the most crippling injury the Jets could have endured, but Alijah Vera-Tucker’s season-ending triceps tear presents the first real adversity of the Aaron Glenn era before they even take the field for the first time. Will it be the difference between winning or losing multiple games? Probably not directly.

We’ve seen the Jets find a way to win before with the offensive line in flux, just look back at the 2022 season when they were on the verge of the playoffs after losing multiple offensive line starters. They’re well equipped to get by with the line playing at a relatively high level thanks to their versatility: center Joe Tippmann is likely to slide over to right guard, and Josh Myers, the Packers starting center for the last four years, is likely to fill that same role with the Jets now.

But in the war of attrition that is the NFL season, it could become a major problem if they suffer another key injury on the line. Remember, left guard John Simpson missed most of the preseason and training camp with a back injury. There would be a much bigger drop off in performance if they lost another o-line starter, especially considering how much this offense is likely to run the ball. So it’s now a big thing to watch.

The new guy

The new regime’s first decision – moving forward without Rodgers – set the tone for everything this offseason. It made it clear just how much control Glenn has, and he spent the entire spring and summer communicating directly what he wanted from his players. The locker room has clearly bought in, especially to Glenn’s direct style of communication. But it’s easy to buy in at 0-0. What really matters is how this team handles success and failure, and how their coach manages those ups and downs, and how their GM reacts to address issues as they reveal themselves on the field. All of that will tell us if this new regime is really pressing the right buttons.

At a crossroads

No one has more to gain in 2025 than running back Breece Hall. A year ago he was regarded as a potential franchise cornerstone, and projected by many to be one of the top running backs in the league. Instead, Hall had his worst season, struggling to run through contact, dropping passes, and admitting to losing his confidence. Now, his future is uncertain. If he struggles again, his opportunity to be starting NFL running back might be hard to find. But that talent hasn’t gone away, and the Jets are expected to lean on the run in a big way with their strong offensive line, so there’s also a chance Hall bounces back and puts himself in line for massive pay day when he hits free agency in 2026.

Year 3 breakout?

The Jets have watched two of their former quarter draft picks who didn’t pan out for them figure it out elsewhere. Two will be starting this week: Geno Smith and Sam Darnold. So could the Jets finally be the beneficiary of a quarterback who didn’t work out at his first two stops in Fields? Perhaps, but there’s a reason their gamble on Fields contained an easy out after one season, it’s going to be an uphill battle. Smith and Darnold were far better established pocket passers than Fields, who hasn’t figured that out at the pro level. But his elite running ability and strong arm leave open the possibility that he can find success in a less traditional way in 2025.

Top defense?

The Jets still have an first-team, All-Pro on each level of the defense despite losing key pieces like cornerback D.J. Reed, so the expectation should be for them to remain among the NFL’s top defenses in yardage allowed. But anyone who watched last year’s Jets knows that the defense had a bad habit of allowing huge plays at the worst possible time. That’s the most important thing Glenn and coordinator Steve Wilks must address, as they add new wrinkles on top of a simiar scheme.

X-Factor

The pass rush could be the difference for the defense, in terms of limiting those big plays and helping secure the turnovers we haven’t seen in recent years. And that’s why we’ll be watching Jermaine Johnson closely as he returns from an Achilles tear in Week 2 of last year. Johnson says he’ll be at 100%, but even if he’s not if he can make the most of his likely limited reps, and Will McDonald an continue his development as a pass rusher, they could be better than expected on defense.

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Andy Vasquez may be reached at avasquez@njadvancemedia.com.

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