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Rich Cimini
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey apologized to reporters for being hoarse Tuesday, saying it was because he did a lot of talking. And dealing.
In a watershed day for the franchise, Mougey traded defensive cornerstones Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams in separate blockbusters, essentially shifting the focus to 2026 and beyond.
«I wouldn’t call it a teardown,» Mougey said about two hours after the NFL trading deadline.
The Jets are 1-7, looking at their 15th straight non-playoff season, the league’s longest active drought. Mougey, in his first season, said they aren’t giving up on 2025.
Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. They dealt Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The Gardner deal was especially surprising, considering he signed a four-year, $120 million extension in July. What changed?
«Indianapolis kept getting richer and richer with their value, and eventually it was too good to pass up,» said Mougey, adding that talks escalated over the past few days.
The Jets weren’t shopping Gardner, sources said. They structured his contract in a way that would make him tradeable — a manageable amount of up-front money, with rolling guarantees. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson’s four-year, $130 million extension, also signed in July, was fashioned the same way.
«You never know how the future is going to unfold, and we always wanted to be in a position to potentially trade these contracts … [in] case that you get into a situation where the value you think is just too good to pass up,» Mougey said. «And that happened to be the case here.»
The Williams deal came together quicker than the Gardner deal. Williams, a three-time Pro Bowl tackle, was disgruntled with the direction of the franchise, sources said. Mougey declined to say if Williams requested a trade, adding, «I’m not here to talk about rumors and different things.»
Mougey said Williams’ contract wasn’t a factor in the decision. Williams is signed through 2027, though he has only $5 million in remaining guarantees and there was speculation that he was going to demand a new deal.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a September radio interview that he offered pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Jets for a deal that included Williams.
«I’ll keep all those conversations that I had with the other teams private, but it came together and it was a good value for us,» Mougey said.
In a span of a week, the Jets traded three defensive stalwarts – Gardner, Williams and nickel back Michael Carter II, all 28 and younger. Gardner and Williams have combined for five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections.
The upside is the Jets have two first-round picks in 2026 and three in 2027. Mougey said he’s «excited» to have that flexibility.
The Jets conducted trade talks involving running back Breece Hall and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, sources said, but decided to keep them. Hall will be a free agent after the season. Mougey declined to say whether they want to sign him.
«Through these processes, we talk about a lot of things and we field a lot of calls and we’ve got values, and Breece is a talented player,» Mougey said. «He’s going to help us compete and win games the rest of the season. «
