The New York Jets embraced a rebuild at the 2025 NFL trade deadline by trading cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. The moves netted the 1-7 Jets three future first-round picks and a second-rounder, signaling a shift toward tanking for draft capital.
In a stunning series of transactions on November 5, 2025, the New York Jets dismantled key parts of their defense, dealing two All-Pro players amid a dismal 1-7 start to the season. The Jets sent two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round draft picks. Gardner, a 25-year-old standout known for his coverage skills, signed a contract extension with the Jets in the offseason but was traded despite his prime age, becoming the youngest multiple All-Pro moved midseason.
The Colts, sitting at 7-2 and leading the AFC South with the league's top-scoring offense at 32.2 points per game, viewed Gardner as a fix for their secondary. Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard absorbed Gardner's $30 million per-year deal, betting on his ability to lock down receivers and elevate a defense tied for sixth in sacks (26) and third in interceptions (10). Colts quarterback Daniel Jones praised the acquisition, saying, "He's a Pro Bowler, All-Pro player. So anytime you can get a guy like that is huge." Wide receiver Alec Pierce, a former college teammate, added that Gardner would improve the defensive back room and prepare the offense for elite opponents in practice.
Hours later, the Jets traded defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a first-round pick and a second-rounder over the next two drafts. Williams, a high-level interior disruptor turning 29 by 2027, bolsters Dallas's run defense, which has struggled historically. The Cowboys also acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick and defensive tackle Kenny Clark from the Green Bay Packers, effectively reallocating assets previously gained from trading edge rusher Micah Parsons while saving $70 million in cap space.
These deals give the Jets five first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, positioning them to rebuild around young offensive pieces like wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The franchise, plagued by a playoff drought since 2010, opted for a long-term reset over short-term contention, even as concerns linger about owner Woody Johnson's decision-making. While draft picks carry risk, the Jets extracted maximum value from players who couldn't lift the team this year.