After one of the biggest days of player-for-picks trading in Jets' franchise history, GM Darren Mougey met with reporters with a tired voice to provide insight into two blockbuster trades and a long day spent by the phones.
"A lot of work goes into it," Mougey said of the moves made on Tuesday. "Never an easy day, a lot of tough decisions."
The two major decisions involved trading CB Sauce Gardner, the No. 4 overall draft pick of the Jets in 2022, and DL Quinnen Williams, whom the Jets selected No. 3 overall in 2019. Gardner, a two-time All-Pro, heads to Indianapolis while Williams, a three-time Pro Bowler, joins the Cowboys.
"[It's] never easy moving on from any player, let alone guys like Sauce and Quinnen, who have part of this organization and a part of this team this year," Mougey said. "But we put a lot of effort leading up into this day. We meet weekly as a staff to discuss our roster and the potential trade values of our players."
Mougey, who said the staff sets values for players that ebb and flow throughout the season, was presented with offers on Tuesday that he felt were "too good for the team" to pass up. The Jets received two first-round draft picks in the deal with Indianapolis -- one in 2026 and another in 2027 -- as well as a second-round draft pick in 2026, and another first-round pick in 2027 from Dallas.
"Throughout the year, I have a lot of discussions around the league with different GMs, a lot of discussions with players," Mougey said. "You never know how they're going to materialize. … When it came down to the last few days, Indianapolis kept getting richer and richer with their value."
The Jets also acquired three new players on Tuesday. WR Adonai Mitchell, a second-round draft pick of the Colts in 2024, joins the Green & White after appearing in 25 games in Indianapolis. DL Mazi Smith, a first-round draft pick of the Cowboys (No. 26 overall) in 2023, appeared in 39 games for Dallas. The Jets' final acquisition of the day was CB Ja'Sir Taylor, a fourth-year pro whom the team received from the Chargers for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2028. Former second-round draft selection WR John Metchie III also joined the Green & White last week after CB Michael Carter II was sent to Philadelphia.
"Excited to get these guys on campus and get to see them work and get to know them," Mougey said.
Mougey, who stressed that April's draft is "a long way away," acknowledged that Tuesday's moves will be beneficial as the staff plans for the future. The Jets now hold five first-round draft picks in the next two drafts combined, and the team also holds a pair of second-round selections in 2026.
"It gives us good flexibility going into the draft this year and next year," Mougey said. "Excited about having that flexibility. … There's a lot to happen between now and April, and then especially in 2027."
But as the Green & White look to the future, the team also remains focused on the present. Mougey stressed that while "a lot of things go into these decisions," something that remains unchanged is the team's goal ahead of each matchup.
"The goal is always to win," he said. "These coaches and players work too hard every day, all day, with the goal of winning on Sunday. And that never changes. Because that's what the fans deserve, that's what the players deserve, that's what the coaches deserve, and that never changes.
"The focus is winning Sunday against the Browns, and that's the only focus in this entire building right now."
