In a period of a few hours on Tuesday, the day of the NFL trade deadline, the Jets perhaps altered the trajectory of the franchise that has trended downward for the better part of the last 20 years.
Being aggressive and forward thinking, Jets General Manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, both in their first seasons in their respective positions, with the evident approval of owner Robert “Woody” Johnson, executed two stunning trades that someday may be viewed as the catalyst for the Jets winning a Super Bowl.
Ending what will be a 15-year playoff drought at the close of this season tops the Jets’ leadership agenda. They took the first step toward that goal on Tuesday by acquiring significant draft capital — trading 25-year-old, two-time first-team All-Pro cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for 2026 and 2027 first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Shortly after that trade was announced, news broke that the Jets had made another blockbuster move — sending 27-year-old defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, a 2022 first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection, to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-rounder. The Jets drafted Williams third overall in 2019 and Gardner fourth overall in 2022.
The 1-7 Jets, who will play the 2-6 Cleveland Browns on Sunday at home at MetLife Stadium, now have two first-round and two second-round picks in next year’s draft, along with three first-rounders in 2027. The situation is reminiscent of the Cowboys’ famous 1989 trade that laid the foundation for a dynasty and three Super Bowl titles.
Back then, the Cowboys dealt star running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, with the then–San Diego Chargers also involved. In return, Dallas received five players and nine draft picks. While the deals share some similarities, history shows that the Cowboys — led by Hall of Fame coach and deal architect Jimmy Johnson — thoroughly fleeced the Vikings. The Jets’ trades, by contrast, appear to be win-wins for all parties involved.
“Never easy moving on from any player,” said Mougey, “let alone guys like Sauce and Quinnen … We got to today and we had these offers that we felt were too good for the team [to forgo] and we made that with Sauce and Quinnen.”
There have been reports that Williams’ relationship with the Jets’ new leadership was fractured and that he requested a trade, preferably to the 3-5-1 Cowboys, who have been focused on fortifying their interior defensive line. Gardner, who had no idea he was a trade consideration until it happened, is now with a team piloted by former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones that is tied with the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots for the best record in the league at 7-2.
On the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Gardner posted: “New York it’s been real,” followed by a green heart.