The New York Jets made shocking moves at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, trading star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. These deals netted the 1-7 Jets multiple first-round picks and other assets, signaling a full rebuild. The transactions highlight the team's shift toward future draft capital amid a dismal season.
The NFL trade deadline on November 4, 2025, featured blockbuster activity from the New York Jets, who parted ways with two cornerstone defenders in a clear pivot to rebuilding.
In the first major deal, the Jets sent two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts in exchange for 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, plus wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. Gardner, 25, had signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension in July, making him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback at $30.1 million annually. Selected No. 4 overall in 2022, he earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with 20 passes defended and two interceptions. This season, he recorded 20 tackles and six passes defended in seven games. Colts GM Chris Ballard stated, 'Sauce is a proven cornerback. His skill and competitive nature will elevate everyone's play on the defensive unit. We're thrilled he's a Colt.' The Colts, 7-2 and atop the AFC, addressed a secondary allowing 244.8 passing yards per game (seventh-worst in the NFL).
Hours later, the Jets traded three-time Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams, the No. 3 pick in 2019, to the Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick (the higher of Dallas' two), and DT Mazi Smith. Williams, 27, has 40 sacks since 2019 (sixth among DTs) and 281 pressures (seventh). The Cowboys, 3-5-1 with the NFL's second-worst scoring defense (30.8 points per game), added interior disruption alongside Kenny Clark. Owner Jerry Jones said, 'He knows how to get in the gaps. For what we need right now, he can come in immediately and help us.'
These moves give the Jets five first-round picks over two drafts, plus Mitchell and Smith, to target a franchise QB and rebuild. Jets GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn aim to reshape a roster that started 1-7 despite recent extensions for Gardner and Williams. The deals underscore New York's long playoff drought since 2010.
