Takeaways from the Jets’ Blockbuster Trade Deadline

#1: The Objective is Clear

The Jets got a major haul for two of their franchise superstars at the trade deadline. In total, they acquired three first-round picks, one second-round pick, and two young players in Adonai Mitchell and Mazi Smith. The picks are the important part here, as they signal a clear goal for the Jets. That goal? It’s time to find a franchise quarterback. The Jets have the firepower to do pretty much whatever they want in the first round of the next two NFL drafts. They could attempt to find that player in 2026 (if necessary) and use the rest of the picks to build around that player. They could also wait until 2027, which has the makings of an elite class, and use their 2026 picks to continue creating a great situation for a rookie to step into. The possibilities are now endless for the Jets, but they must navigate the path correctly.

The Jets don’t have a great history of accomplishing this, though. In 2018, it was Sam Darnold. The Jets failed in developing him as they were never able to give him real help. They had multiple bad coaches and consistently bad rosters from 2018-2020. Then came Zach Wilson. That experiment failed horribly because they truly whiffed on the player. This time, they must get it right.

#2: We Know Who Darren Mougey Is Now

Darren Mougey’s operation has been fascinating to see unfold. His actions on behalf of the Jets during this trade deadline have shown the world what he’s about. He had already shown that he is constantly working the phones when he swung savvy moves for players like Jowon Briggs and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Now, we know that his operation is not just about being savvy, it’s about being bold. Nobody around the league expected Sauce Gardner to be dealt, but Darren Mougey saw an opportunity to give the Jets a clear path to righting the ship. The unfortunate truth is that a cornerback, All-Pro caliber or not, cannot turn a franchise around like a franchise quarterback could. As for Quinnen Williams, the Jets got an incredible return for him as well. The Cowboys paid as steep a price as the Packers did for Micah Parsons. The Jets did right by both Quinnen and themselves by taking that offer.

Finally, constantly taking on fliers is a good way to build up a roster, especially in year 1. Mougey acquiring guys like Adonai Mitchell and Mazi Smith allows him to put his stamp on this team. If it doesn’t work out, you didn’t give up much to try. If it does, then you filled a hole on the roster, making the drafts much easier to navigate. I’m impressed by Darren Mougey. I’ll be much more impressed if he’s able to hit on these picks over the next two drafts.

#3: The Philosophy Has Shifted

Over the last couple of years, the Jets have been all about defense. Under former head coach Robert Saleh, they produced multiple great defenses. Even though the Jets hired another former defensive coordinator as head coach this year, defense doesn’t seem to be their philosophy anymore. Aaron Glenn seems to be going down a similar route that the Lions did when they turned their franchise around. They’ve now traded their two best defenders and are squarely fixated on drafting a franchise quarterback. This shows me a shift to trying to create a dominant offense in order to turn this team around. This is further shown by the Jets being adamant about receiving young wideout Adonai Mitchell from the Colts. He was a talented prospect in 2024, one who could develop into the Jets’ WR2. Not to mention that the 2025 draft addressed two big holes on offense already, right tackle and tight end. The Jets are creating the framework of an offense-centric team in 2026 and beyond.

After this trade deadline, the Jets have now become the most fascinating team in the NFL. With all this draft capital, cap space, and young talent, the Jets are a team to monitor.