The New York Jets rattled the NFL earth on Tuesday with their moves, sending two defensive cornerstones packing in exchange for top-tier draft capital and a young player who should see the field immediately.
On the surface, the moves signaled a rebuild was inbound for New York. Jets general manager Darren Mougey pushed back against that notion Tuesday evening.
"I wouldn't call it a teardown," Mougey said, via ESPN.
In two trades, the Jets shipped out two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner -- recipient of a four-year, $120 million extension in July -- and 2022 All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. In return, they received three first-round picks (one in 2026, two in 2027), a 2026 second-round selection, receiver Adonai Mitchell and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The haul was enormous. The message sent by the deals was just as significant.
In one day, the 1-7 Jets dealt away two players who represented their present and future on the defensive side of the ball. In the simplest terms, the Jets' roster worsened Tuesday.
Mougey, however, believes the deals were in New York's best interest. They're not giving up on short-term success, either, despite the decision to separate from Gardner and Williams.
"The goal is always to win," he said. "Look, these coaches and players work too hard every day, all day, with the goal of winning on Sunday. And that never changes because that's what the fans deserve. That's what the players deserve, that's what the coaches deserve, and that never changes."
While the average fan knows the Jets will have a tougher time on the field without Gardner and Williams, Mougey explained the negotiation process produced an offer that was simply too tempting to reject.
"Indianapolis kept getting richer and richer with their value, and eventually it was too good to pass up," he said.
Still, even with a haul of three first-round picks -- selections that carry the potential to add blue-chip talent to a roster that clearly wasn't competitive through the first half of the 2025 season -- it's fair to wonder why the Jets signed Gardner to a deal that was scheduled to pay him an average of $30 million per year only to send him elsewhere four months later.
Such an outcome was always possible, according to Mougey, who ensured the Jets wouldn't be burdened by such deals in the event they needed to adjust their course.
"You never know how the future is going to unfold, and we always wanted to be in a position to potentially trade these contracts ... [in] case that you get into a situation where the value you think is just too good to pass up," Mougey said. "And that happened to be the case here."
It's important to note that the Jets' current regime didn't sign Williams to his current four-year, $96 million contract. Emotionally, they were never tied to the 2019 first-round pick, and as Mougey said Tuesday, Williams' financial outlook wasn't a factor when deciding to trade him to Dallas. Like the Gardner deal, the Williams trade came down to return value.
Now that the deadline has passed, the GM can put down the phone and turn his attention toward roster management for the rest of the 2025 season while also preparing for a draft that has suddenly become even more important to the club's future.
In the meantime, some players who were involved in trade discussions but ultimately remained with the Jets still need to find motivation to play for a franchise that willingly shipped out two of their best teammates. Running back Breece Hall -- a pending free agent in 2026 -- and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II were among those whose names were floated as possible trade chips.
They'll be Jets for the rest of the 2025 campaign. Their fans will hope they can continue to be the same professionals, because they still have the second half of the season to complete.
"Through these processes, we talk about a lot of things and we field a lot of calls and we've got values, and Breece is a talented player," Mougey said. "He's going to help us compete and win games the rest of the season."
With just one win in their pocket so far, the challenge only grows for New York. Rebuild or not, hope for this team now exists firmly in the next calendar year.
