The New York Jets caught the NFL off guard ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, dealing away two All-Pro centerpieces in defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner.
When asked whether the team’s 1-7 record influenced those moves, general manager Darren Mougey told reporters the decision to part ways with two of New York’s most prominent stars had little to do with the team’s poor record.
“We’re very consistent throughout our process, regardless of the record.”
Darren Mougey was asked how much the Jets’ 1-7 record factored into today’s trades: pic.twitter.com/LMzh29xKm8
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“We have these processes in place to have these discussions throughout the season. We start having those discussions in Week 4,” Mougey said. “We are talking about a lot of things in those discussions with players, and what the roster could look like, and contracts, and values, and compensation. There are a ton of things that go into it, but we are very consistent throughout our process, regardless of the record.”
No matter the team’s record, trading away both Gardner and Williams was hard for fans to stomach, rightfully so.
They weren’t just great players; they were part of the team’s identity. But the Jets made their choice. Only time will tell whether this is the first step toward reshaping the organization or just another chapter in a rebuild. For now, it feels like the start of another necessary restart in Florham Park.
Now, fresh out of the bye week, the Jets will take the field for the first time without them on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium.
It’s a reminder of just how quickly everything can change in the NFL for better or worse.