Tuesday, October 4 at 4:00 PM EST was the 2025 NFL trade deadline. To the surprise of many, the New York Jets were sellers. The team parted ways with two of the franchise’s mainstays in their defense.
Sauce Gardner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks. Additionally, Quinnen Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a first and second round pick. An absolutely amazing move by first year general manager, Darren Moje. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Moggi made it clear that trading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams was not a “break-up” for New York.
The Jets parted ways with two franchise cornerstones at the 2025 trade deadline
Jets GM Darren Mougey said the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades are not a “break-up.”
Story via @RichCimini:
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2025
On July 22, 2025, the New York Jets signed CB Soas Gardner to a four-year, $120.4 million deal. He was scheduled to be under contract with the Jets through the 2030 season. However, New York was offered a trade package for Gardner that they couldn’t refuse. The Jets traded Sauce Garnder to the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, October 4. In return, the Jets received the Colts’ first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, along with WR Adoni Mitchell.
This wasn’t the only trade New York made before Tuesday’s deadline. General manager Darren Moje has traded defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. Williams was the third overall pick by New York in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Alabama. In the trade with Dallas, the Jets received a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick from the Cowboys. The pick in 2027 would be the most favored of Dallas’ first-round picks that year.
Jets future draft picks after today’s trades:
2026
🏈 First round pick (New York)
🏈 First round pick (IND)
🏈 Second round pick (New York)
🏈 Second round pick (DAL)2027
🏈 First round pick (New York)
🏈 First round pick (DAL)
🏈 First round pick (IND)– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Jets general manager Darren Moje had a lot of questions to answer. With the moves they made yesterday, it’s clear the Jets are thinking about the 2026 season and beyond. However, Moje said the team isn’t giving up on 2025. Additionally, Darren Moje said Tuesday’s Jets trade is not a “dismantling” of the team.
New York is the first team since 1967 to make multiple trades during the season to acquire a first-round pick. Now, the Jets have reached a turning point in their franchise. They traded two defensive gems and are still searching for a franchise QB. The team is loaded with first-round draft capital to try to find their QB of the future.
