The Jets executed a bold and significant pivot today during the NFL trade deadline and are aiming for the 4th??? rebuild since their last playoff appearance. They traded away top cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks. In a separate deal, they shipped defensive star Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-rounder (conditional) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The message has been on the wall this season that a rebuild is more than due (again). With their 1-7 start this season, the front office is clearly stockpiling future assets over short-term fixes. (I genuinely don’t know if I can handle another rebuild if this one doesn’t pan out.)
Why the Sauce Gardner trade was too good to say no
There’s a lot behind why the Jets felt compelled to pull the trigger on Gardner — and why from their side, it was hard to pass up. I never in a million years thought he would be traded today but, for two first round picks, its too hard to pass up. I don’t honestly think he’s worth as much as the Colts gave up. Gardner was among the elite young cornerbacks in the league. Even though his 2024 numbers dipped somewhat, his overall play was clear:
- In his three seasons (2022–24) with the Jets, he accumulated 187 total tackles (129 solo) and 47 passes defended.
- In 2024 alone: 42 solo tackles, 1 interception, 7 pass breakups, coverage grade of 73.1 (33rd among CBs) per PFF. The 1 interception stands out massively considering he’s been an All-Pro corner for 2 years.
- His contract: He had signed a 4-year, $120.4 million extension earlier this year, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league at that moment.
All-pro cornerbacks don’t come around often and are extremely valuable. A top CB can be fantastic one year, and the be unplayable the next. Ex. Stephon Gilmore, Tre White, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland to name a few. The Jets are 1-7. They’re not contending this year. In that situation, trading a premium player for premium picks makes sense. Sometimes you seize value when someone is still near their peak.
Quinnen Williams
Williams doesn’t get as much attention as Gardner, but his impact is huge and this trade underscores the overhaul. The longest tenured player on the team being drafted 3rd overall in 2019 out of Alabama.
- On the Jets: 322 tackles, 59 tackles for loss, 40 sacks, 101 QB hits, 8 forced fumbles in his first seven seasons.
- Recent grades: In 2024, PFF gave him an overall grade of 69.6 (32nd of 219 defensive interior players), pass rush grade of 76.1 (16th). Solo tackles: 25 (41st of 219).
- For 2025 (pre-trade) he had roughly 32 tackles in 8 games, 7 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles and 1 sack.
Williams was the anchor of the Jets’ defensive line. Losing him signals that the front office is not just shifting secondary assets but also moving foundational defensive pieces. It’s not just a tweak — it’s a teardown.
Final Thoughts
This is one of those days that will be revisited for years in Jets lore. Trading both Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams in one deadline day is a statement: “we’re rebuilding”. On Gardner especially, the Jets did the right thing now with what was offered. The contract was massive, the value they got is massive, and given the state of the team the risk/reward tilted toward trading rather than holding him. And the same goes with Williams too, they could have kept him but chose to extract value when the franchise clearly is not in a contending window. For me, it hurts now. These 5 first-round picks in the next two years better turn into stars and the rebuild works or I might just root for football and no particular team. I might give up being a Jets fan for my mental and physical health if we just continue this deep dive of the ugly and losing seasons.
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