Jets Reportedly Were Reluctant to Make Trades Within AFC East at 2025 NFL Deadline

The New York Jets made a handful of trades ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, but didn't sell as much as some expected them to.

One factor at play was the Jets' unwillingness to trade with rivals. Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the team "was reluctant to trade with division rivals" after a few AFC East teams reached out to them.

The Jets, who are 1-7, were clear sellers heading into the deadline with their chances of reaching the postseason already shot. They ultimately traded cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in return for two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell and sent defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

Last week, New York acquired wide receiver John Metchie III and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for cornerback Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh-rounder.

While the Jets were willing to part with a few key players, they reportedly made star wide receiver Garrett Wilson "untouchable," despite getting calls from other teams inquiring about him.

New York didn't necessarily have any home-run trades on Tuesday, but the team did achieve its goal of building for the future. Thanks to the Gardner and Williams deals, the Jets now have a 2026 first-round and second-round pick plus a pair of first-rounders in 2027. In total, they now have seven first and second-round picks over the next two years.

With the trade deadline now behind them, the next task for the Jets is improving their draft position. New York is one of three one-loss teams at this point in the season, so the Jets are fully in the mix for the No. 1 pick.