Jets Trade Away All-Pros Gardner and Williams in Franchise Teardown
The New York Jets have made a shocking move, trading away their two All-Pro cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams to bolster their playoff chances. The Indianapolis Colts acquired Gardner for a pair of first-round picks, solidifying their defense ahead of the Super Bowl. This trade marks a major shift for the Jets' rebuild, which aims to get back on track after this season's dismal 1-7 record.
Gardner's departure comes just months after signing a four-year extension worth $120.4 million, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history. His loss leaves New York's defense vulnerable, particularly with the team struggling to find consistency. The trade also sets the tone for a franchise teardown, as the Jets look to revamp their roster and make a push for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis is confident that Gardner will help propel them towards another Super Bowl run. With a secondary already ranked among the league's top units, adding Gardner further increases their chances of making a deep playoff push. The Colts are betting big on an elite defense to power their playoff run.
The trade is just one part of two massive deals brokered by Jets general manager Darren Mougey before Tuesday's deadline. New York also agreed to trade defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a second-round pick in 2026, a first-round pick in 2027 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
In other moves, the Cowboys acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick, while the Philadelphia Eagles continued their aggressive push by acquiring edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander. The Baltimore Ravens also added an edge rusher in Dre'Mont Jones to bolster their defense.
The trade speculation continues, with high-profile players such as Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and Jets running back Breece Hall being mentioned in talks. As teams continue to make moves ahead of the deadline, one thing is clear: the NFL playoffs are shaping up to be a thrilling ride.
The New York Jets have made a shocking move, trading away their two All-Pro cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams to bolster their playoff chances. The Indianapolis Colts acquired Gardner for a pair of first-round picks, solidifying their defense ahead of the Super Bowl. This trade marks a major shift for the Jets' rebuild, which aims to get back on track after this season's dismal 1-7 record.
Gardner's departure comes just months after signing a four-year extension worth $120.4 million, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history. His loss leaves New York's defense vulnerable, particularly with the team struggling to find consistency. The trade also sets the tone for a franchise teardown, as the Jets look to revamp their roster and make a push for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis is confident that Gardner will help propel them towards another Super Bowl run. With a secondary already ranked among the league's top units, adding Gardner further increases their chances of making a deep playoff push. The Colts are betting big on an elite defense to power their playoff run.
The trade is just one part of two massive deals brokered by Jets general manager Darren Mougey before Tuesday's deadline. New York also agreed to trade defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a second-round pick in 2026, a first-round pick in 2027 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
In other moves, the Cowboys acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick, while the Philadelphia Eagles continued their aggressive push by acquiring edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander. The Baltimore Ravens also added an edge rusher in Dre'Mont Jones to bolster their defense.
The trade speculation continues, with high-profile players such as Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and Jets running back Breece Hall being mentioned in talks. As teams continue to make moves ahead of the deadline, one thing is clear: the NFL playoffs are shaping up to be a thrilling ride.
i cant even believe what happened with sauce gardner and quinnen williams being traded away from the jets 
they were literally their best players and now they're gonna have to start rebuilding from scratch 
its gotta be tough for the team and their fans, especially after signing those guys to new deals just months ago 
like what was the thought process behind making these trades? 
and instead are focusing on rebuilding for the future 
they have some young talent coming in and maybe they'll be able to turn things around soon 
but for now, its gonna be tough to watch them lose 
meanwhile indy colts r loving this move tho 
got all pro cornerbacks now and a chance to make a deep playoff run 
. but I guess that's the price of rebuild mode 
and what's up with darren mougey bro? he's like a master deal maker 
i mean i was rooting for them 2 days ago but now they're basically starting from scratch lol what's next? is this gonna be the start of a whole franchise overhaul 
i'm low-key kinda hyped for the colts tho sauce gardner is gonna bring that fire 
They gotta find a way to keep their defense from falling apart. I'm worried about this team next season... 
The Jets just traded away their best two players and now they're rebuilding like it's going out of style 
But seriously, this trade makes me think the playoffs are gonna be lit this year...and not in a good way for the Jets 
.
That guy was our best hope for this season's defense. What's next? Are they gonna trade Quinnen too? 