There could be plenty of movement throughout the NFL over the next 24 hours. The league's trade deadline is 4 p.m. (New York time) Tuesday and many teams will be looking to improve their rosters to make a playoff push and chase a title. Although the Jets (2-7) might not make seismic moves on the trade front, HC Aaron Glenn told reporters Monday that the landscape can always change.
"Never say never, right, but right now, I know we're going to stand pat," Glenn said. "And again, we're in the business of keeping good players. That's how I see it but never say never. You never know what's going to happen. Again, me and Moug [General Manager Darren Mougey] will continue to talk about these things and see how it goes."
Hours after Glenn spoke, the Jets agreed to terms on a deal with the Lions to acquire a 2028 sixth-round pick from Detroit in exchange for backup S Andre Cisco.
Last year at the deadline, the Jets were 1-7. They fielded several calls and made two blockbuster deals that were lauded in league circles. The Jets sent DT Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and DT Mazi Smith. And they also executed a trade with the Colts, acquiring first-round picks in 2026 and '27 and WR Adonai Mitchell in exchange for CB Sauce Gardner.
After that historic day, Mougey provided insight to reporters on the Jets process leading into his first deadline day as general manager.
"We meet weekly as a staff to discuss our roster and the potential trade values of our players, and we do this weekly as we go through the season leading up to it, so we have these values kind of set and these comps discussed as we go through the ebbs and flows of this season," Mougey said. "So, when you get to the trade deadline… you're set on what these values are really, worth they're really worth in these players and what you might be willing to do to part ways with them."
The Jets are the only team that owns three first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft – their own, the Colts' first-round pick and the higher of the Cowboys' or the Green Bay Packers' first rounders. The Colts (2-7) have already made two significant trades, moving G Quenton Nelson to Seattle for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick and DT DeForest Buckner to San Francisco for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Many pundits have speculated whether RB Jonathan Taylor and WR Josh Downs also could find new homes this week.
Mitchell, who missed four games this season due to a finger injury, has 16 receptions for 265 yards (16.6 per) and 1 TD. He played eight games for the Jets last season and had 24 receptions for 301 yards (12.5 per) and 2 TDs.
ESPN/NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Jets edge Will McDonald IV had asked to be traded. Glenn insisted the Jets want to keep good players and added, "Will's going to here." Through nine games, McDonald has 3 sacks, 7 QB hits, 2 FR and 1 FF. McDonald, one of 12 players to hold an active streak of consecutive 8-plus sack campaigns, has lined up in 277 defensive snaps (46%) and 91 on special teams (37%).
"I have conversations with him, and me and Will sat down quite a bit the other day and had a really good conversation, and we have a really good relationship," Glenn said. "And I think that has a lot to do with it is the communication part of it and whatever that comes out of the communication we try to keep that between us. But I would say this - me and Will have a good relationship, and I like exactly where he's at right now."
The Jets enter the deadline with one of the league's youngest rosters by any metric. They lead the league in snaps by players aged 26 and younger (9,845), ranking top six in offensive snaps (3,916), defensive snaps (4,055), and special teams snaps (1,874). The Jets also lead the league in both scrimmage yards (2,889) and defensive tackles (397) by players aged 26 and under, and rank fourth in sacks (17).
