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NY Jets Biggest Trade Deadline Winner After Second Blockbuster for More 1st Round Picks
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- NY Jets Biggest Trade Deadline Winner After Second Blockbuster for More 1st Round Picks
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, the New York Jets made the most of a disastrous start to the 2025 season and ended up becoming the biggest winners before 4 PM ET.
Entering Week 10, the Jets owned the second-worst record in the league at 1-7. Year one for head coach Aaron Glen and general manager Darren Mougey has been a major disappointment. But for a franchise that has not reached the playoffs since 2010, turning this ship around was never going to be quick.
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So instead of being delusional about their situation, the Jets' front office saw an opportunity to turn a big negative into a potential rich positive before today's trade deadline. First came the biggest surprise of the day. In a move no one expected, New York took advantage of an Indianapolis Colts team looking to make the most of a shockingly good season in 2025 when they sent star cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indy for not one, but two first-round picks .
It was a better return than when they traded legendary cornerback Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. And Revis is a far better player than the two-time Pro Bowler. Yet, the Jets weren't done there.
New York Jets trade Quinnen Williams to Dallas Cowboys
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
A little over an hour before the NFL trade deadline, it was revealed that the Jets were also offloading the heart of their defensive line , Quinnen Williams. New York sent the three-time Pro Bowler to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-rounder, and DT Mazi Smith .
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Does losing a pair of Pro Bowl talents hurt the Jets? Of course. However, they have just one W with them this year, and haven't reached the playoffs since they've been on the roster. This franchise needed a major shakeup and boost to its rebuild. The pair of blockbuster trades does that.
Now, the Jets have a fantastic assortment of picks in the first and second rounds for the next two years. In April, they will have two first-rounders and two second-rounders. Then in 2027, they will have a whopping three first-round picks. Those are great assets to supercharge their rebuild after this season.
However, another important thing to note is that moving those contracts will give New York a boatload of salary cap space in the spring. Following the two trades, the Jets now have the third most salary cap space this upcoming offseason with $117 million ( via Spotrac ).
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So they can not only bring in some impactful rookies in the next draft, but also add meaningful veterans to pair with them in 2026 and beyond. While this has been a miserable season for the franchise, their front office deserves a lot of credit for creating reason for a great deal of hope in the offseason.
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