Heading into NFL trade deadline day, we figured the New York Jets might be active. It turned out we were right ... just not in the way anybody expected.
First came the most shocking move of the day, as first-year GM Darren Mougey agreed to send star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts just months after signing him to a four-year extension. And when you see the return, it's not hard to see why: Indy was willing to send not only two first-round picks (one in 2026, one in 2027) but also 2024 second-round receiver AD Mitchell as well.
But Mougey was just getting started. Next came a deal involving defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys for 2026 second rounder, a 2027 first and Mazi Smith. In a matter of hours, the Jets had completely altered their trajectory, tearing their current roster more or less down to the studs while accumulating more draft capital than just about any other team in the league.
But as we know, tearing down is the easy part. It's what comes next that defines legacies, and Mougey will have a rare opportunity over the next two offseasons to finally get the Jets back into contention. Just how might he do it? Here's everything to know, from where New York's draft picks currently stand to team needs and future targets.
How the next two Jets drafts stack up after trade deadline fire sale
After picking up two firsts from the Colts in the Gardner trade and a 2026 second and a 2027 first from the Cowboys for Williams, the Jets now have a whopping seven picks in the first two rounds of the next two NFL Drafts. When you lay it all out, it becomes crystal clear just how transformative the next 18 months or so could turn out to be for this franchise.
Year | Round | Pick |
|---|---|---|
2026 | 1st | NYJ |
2026 | 1st | IND |
2026 | 2nd | NYJ |
2026 | 2nd | DAL |
2027 | 1 | NYJ |
2027 | 1 | DAL |
2027 | 1 | IND |
And it becomes even more enticing when you think about the teams the Jets obtained these picks from. Nabbing the Cowboys' own first in 2027, rather than the first-rounder they got from Green Bay in the Micah Parsons trade, could loom large. The Packers aren't going anywhere, but who knows where this Dallas team might be in two years' time? What if Dak Prescott gets hurt again, or moves on? What if an aging team continues to decline and leave its offensive stars out to dry?
And for that matter, what if the Colts come crashing back to Earth? Sure, it's not likely to happen this season given just how great Daniel Jones and Co. have been over the first nine weeks. But this is still Daniel Jones we're talking about; the sample size is still relatively small, and it's by no means out of the question that he reverts back to something closer to the quarterback we saw with the New York Giants in 2023 and 2024. And if that happens, that first-round pick in 2027 could become extremely valuable.
The Jets will pick at or near the top of the first round this season. And they could plausibly have three of the top 15-20 picks in 2027, an almost unheardof amount of capital. Which begs the question: How should they use it? To answer that question, we first need to figure out what New York will or should be looking for.
What are the Jets' most pressing team needs moving forward?
Quarterback
Let's get the obvious out of the way up top. The Jets have been seemingly searching for a long-term answer at quarterback since Vinny Testaverde retired, and they're no closer to finding it now than they were 25 years ago. Justin Fields was a defensible swing, but he's clearly not it. Unless New York can find a franchise passer, none of the rest will matter very much — look no further than just a few years ago, when then-GM Joe Douglas largely crushed the 2021 and 2022 drafts ... save for taking Zach Wilson at No. 2 overall, which undid everything else.
Cornerback
It's hard to argue with the decision to send Gardner packing given what Indy was willing to pay, but it's also hard to argue that New York has a glaring hole at cornerback that needs to be filled. Glenn's defense relies on great secondary play, and the Jets simply don't have the horses right now, with Brandon Stephens a predictable disappointment and little else to build around outside 2025 third-rounder Azareye'h Thomas.
Interior offensive line
The good news is that New York is basically set at tackle with youngsters Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. The bad news is ... everything else: Alijah Vera-Tucker got hurt again and will now hit free agency next spring, as will fellow guard John Simpson and center Josh Myers. The interior of this offensive line will be more or less a blank slate after the 2025 season save for Joe Tippmann, who himself has only one more year left on his deal.
Defensive tackle
The situation is similarly unsettled on the other side of the trenches. Again, this isn't so much a criticism of the decision to move on from Quinnen Williams as it is stating a simple fact: His departure leaves a gaping hole that will need to be filled sooner rather than later, as the Jets have essentially nothing at defensive tackle beyond Harrison Phillps' age-30 season in 2026. (No, Mazi Smith doesn't count. Stop it.)
Skill positions
At least Garrett Wilson isn't going anywhere anytime soon (at least, we don't think he is). But while AD Mitchell is a worthy flier to take, and Arian Smith has flashed on occasion, there's still essentially nothing in the way of known quantities behind Wilson in this receiver room moving forward. Add to that the fact that Breece Hall is set to hit free agency next spring, and you're more or less starting over in terms of offensive weaponry.
How can New York address those needs in the next two drafts?
2026 draft targets
If the Jets don't wind up with the first overall pick in next year's draft, they'll be darn close. And that opens up the possibility of taking another swing at quarterback: This class isn't shaping up to be the most talent-rich, but names like Alabama's Ty Simpson, Oregon's Dante Moore, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers still have a lot for scouts to like. Plus, having the Colts' first-rounder in their back pocket would allow New York to draft a passer early without forfeiting the ability to fill another position with a premium pick.
Maybe that's a defensive tackle like Oregon's A'Mauri Washington. Or a receiver like Ohio State's Carnell Tate. Or a corner like LSU's Mansoor Delane. There will be plenty of options for New York, even later on in the first round. And in the second, they should be able to go in basically any direction they want with three picks at their disposal: Guard Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State is an absolute mauler, and there are several corners (Notre Dame's Christian Gray, Texas' Malik Muhammad) and receivers (Louisville's Chris Bell, USC's Makai Lemon) I like a lot.
Of course, the real prizes might not arrive until a year later.
2027 draft targets
Jets fans likely don't want to hear this, but tanking for one more year ahead of the 2027 draft could be in the team's best interest. This has the potential to be one of the most star-driven classes in recent memory, from quarterbacks Arch Manning (assuming the reports are true that he intends on following his uncles' footsteps and staying four years at Texas) and DJ Lagway to wide receivers Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams and Cam Coleman to Notre Dame corner Leonard Moore, plus big-time edge rushers like Colin Simmons and Dylan Stewart. All of them look like they could be instant impact talents, and all of them (save, debatably, Simmons and Stewart) happen to play positions of need for New York.
Granted, that's a long way off; who knows where this Jets team will be in 18 months' time. Still, it's hard not to dream on three first-round picks in the same draft, and New York no doubt made these moves with the '27 draft class in mind.
Potential Jets trade targets with newfound draft capital
Or, alternatively, New York could use their treasure-trove of picks as ammunition to facilitate a trade for some already proven commodities. I'm not saying that I would necessarily recommend this path — genuinely good quarterbacks are rarely made available for a reason — but the Jets are well-positioned to pounce on dysfunction around, say, Kyler Murray in Arizona. Let's say San Francisco decides it's no longer comfortable with Brock Purdy's price tag; could New York swoop in?
Realistically, though, Mougey would more likely target a premium player at a different position. Riq Woolen would look awfully good in Glenn's defense, for example. A reunion with former Ohio State running mate Chris Olave would do a world of good both on the field and in maintaining the team's relationship with Wilson. The Jets will certainly not be hurting for options.
Options, though, only go so far. The hard part is turning those options into good players at the right positions, and only time will tell whether Mougey can succeed where so many of his predecessors have failed.