The New York Jets made the two biggest trades of NFL Trade Deadline day, dealing Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner. First was Gardner, who was dealt to the Indianapolis Colts before the extension he signed this offseason even began. Jets rookie GM Darren Mougey spoke about trading Gardner at his post-deadline press conference.
“Darren Mougey on Sauce Gardner, said they structured the contract in a way that it would be a tradeable contract if that sort of opportunity came to pass,” The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt reported.
The Jets signed both Gardner and Garrett Wilson before training camp opened in July. Both players were signed with the organization through the 2030 season after going through the ups and downs of the Aaron Rodgers era. But Mougey made it clear that he has been listening to offers for a while.
“When it came down to it Indianapolis getting richer and richer in their value.” – GM Darren Mougey on how talks with the Colts materialized. pic.twitter.com/Qih5MwvRo9
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 4, 2025
“We have our set values, and we keep all those conversations private. And when it came down to the last few days, Indianapolis kept getting richer and richer with their value, and eventually was too good to pass up.”
The Jets got an incredible package for Gardner, which was similar to the price the Green Bay Packers paid for Micah Parsons. Mougey will be tasked with this rebuild, which is now loaded with three extra first-round picks. Mougey will get started on building a team around a solid offensive line and Wilson.
The Jets are 1-7 and coming out of their bye week with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns. They beat the Cincinnati Bengals for their first win in their most recent game. But, they have not even announced a starting quarterback for their next game. It could be Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor under center on Sunday. Will the Jets be at the top of the draft once again in April, looking for a new quarterback?
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