With the season slipping away, Jets make positive moves toward their future

05.11.2025, 14:39 espn.com

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Quinnen Williams called it. Nine months ago, his seven-word post on X foreshadowed the outcome of the New York Jets' season.

"Another rebuild year for me I guess."

It was his immediate reaction to the news that quarterback Aaron Rodgers had been fired by new coach Aaron Glenn, who needed only about 10 minutes on the job before making the move.

Team officials downplayed the notion of a rebuild, but the reality came crashing through Tuesday with the blockbuster trades of Williams and Sauce Gardner, popular cornerstone players under contract through 2027 and 2030, respectively.

They were supposed to be part of the Jets' future, but now they join an ever-growing list of former Jets stars traded away in the prime of their careers -- safety Jamal Adams (2020), cornerback Darrelle Revis (2013), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (2008), edge rusher John Abraham (2006) and wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson (2000).

They were jettisoned in the name of rebuilding, with new coaches and/or new general managers looking for franchise-altering draft capital to do what their predecessors had failed to accomplish:

Get the team to a Super Bowl.

The drought is 57 years and counting. The last time -- the only time -- the Jets made it was 1969, before man had walked on the moon.

And so now Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey are taking a Shohei Ohtani-like swing, tacitly acknowledging this 1-7 season is hopeless and that the roster is in worse shape than they anticipated when they took over in the offseason.

"I wouldn't call it a teardown," Mougey told reporters late Tuesday, insisting he expects the team to remain competitive.

Gardner and Williams were the Jets' two best defensive players, and now they're gone, dealt to the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Their once-formidable defense (See: 2023) is a shell of its former self. Only a week ago they traded Michael Carter II, their starting nickel back. These last nine games could be difficult to watch. Good luck to defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, whose unit came into Week 10 ranked 27th in scoring defense.

But it's not about the present, not anymore. It's about the future, and the Jets certainly have the ammunition to be power players in the 2026 and 2027 offseasons. They received substantial returns for both players, the kind of draft capital that, if used properly, could change the trajectory of the franchise.

The Jets became the first team in the common draft era (since 1967) to make multiple in-season trades to acquire a first-round pick.

With the hauls from the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys, the Jets have two first-round picks in 2026 and three first-round picks in 2027, not to mention two second-round choices in 2026. The 2027 draft, it should be noted, has the potential to be one of the best in history, according to ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller.

Some non-QB names that are eligible for the 2027 draft:• Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State• Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina• Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas• Cam Coleman, WR, Auburn• Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama• Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame• Jordan Seaton, OT, Colorado https://t.co/UugdvSB57f— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid)

The objective, of course, is to find a franchise-caliber quarterback. (Raise your hand if you've heard this before.) If the Jets don't land the No. 1 overall pick in 2026, they will be positioned to trade up for the player they covet if they want to, assuming they decide Justin Fields is no longer their QB1. They won't even say if he will start Sunday against the 2-6 Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS), so it's hard to imagine them rolling with him in 2026.

The Jets will be flush with premium picks, just like they were in 2000 (after the Johnson trade -- two first-rounders) and 2013 (after the Revis trade -- a first and a fourth) and 2021 (after the Adams trade -- two firsts). Some worked out; some didn't. Bottom line: They haven't sniffed a Super Bowl since 2010, their last playoff season.

Now the onus is on Glenn, Mougey and the personnel department to use the picks wisely, to restock a roster deficient in many areas. Running back Breece Hall and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, both the subject of trade discussions, were retained on Tuesday -- two potential building blocks if they can extend them.

"I'm excited about having that flexibility," Mougey said.

The Gardner trade was an absolute stunner, considering they made him the highest paid cornerback in the NFL with a $120.4 million extension in July, but the return was massive -- first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Gardner himself was shocked by the news, according to his brother and agent, Allante Gardner.

"That was a no-brainer," an opposing coach said. "They had to."

Williams, frustrated by seven straight years of losing, was disgruntled with the direction of the franchise, sources said -- as his social media post in February suggested. Mougey declined to say whether Williams had requested a trade, adding that he didn't want to address "rumors."

As for the future, the trades create flexibility in terms of the cap.

They will incur $20.8 million in cap hits in 2026 and 2027 for Gardner and Williams, but the trades create nearly $42 million in space for those two years, according to Spotrac. The added room will help offset the Rodgers charge. Their former quarterback, released in March, is set to count $35 million on the 2026 cap.

In addition to the draft picks, the Jets acquired wide receivers Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie III and defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the three trades -- first- and second-round picks that haven't come close to living up to expectations.

Make no mistake, the debut of the Glenn-Mougey era will be defined by three moves -- the jettisoning of Rodgers, Gardner and Williams.

As Williams said, another rebuild.