During this time in the NFL calendar, every team is feeling good about their chances. Everyone has a clean slate and fans are excited to see the newest free agent signings and draft picks get out on the field for the first time. Some teams did very well this offseason and are expecting to see some strides on the field during the 2022 regular season. One of those teams is the New York Jets.

Joe Douglas has done an excellent job upgrading the roster since he took over as the team’s general manager. He and head coach Robert Saleh are in lockstep and it is churning out some great roster management.

New York had arguably the best draft of any team in the league this year. They nailed matching needs with value on the board and came away with some excellent players. It would be hard to find someone that disliked the draft that the Jets had, as they landed the top-ranked player at three different positions.

There are a lot of people expecting the Jets to take that next step. One of those people is Cris Collinsworth, who made a bold statement comparing the 2022 Jets to the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals shocked everyone when they won the AFC North last season. They didn’t stop there as they advanced to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. A jump of that magnitude would be even more shocking for the Jets.

New York has a brutal schedule to begin the season. They play the entire AFC North in Weeks 1-4 before taking on the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. That is a brutal stretch of games, but it will certainly test their mettle.

To find success this season, Zach Wilson needs to elevate his game. The team has done everything they can to make sure that happens, upgrading the offensive line and weapons around him.

At this point, it is on Wilson to continue developing and showcase why the Jets used the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on him. He is key to this team reaching that next level and going on a run akin to the Bengals.