Jets Turn the Page: A Rebuild in Full Flight
November 7, 2025
While a team never says it’s mailing in a season, the New York Jets signaled a look to the future instead of winning now, trading away two coulda-been defensive cornerstones in cornerback Sauce Gardner (Indianapolis Colts) and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (Dallas Cowboys).
We’ve all known the Jets are far more than a “quarterback away” team. They have struggled at all levels, and are now showing a drastic turn towards 2026. For good reason, too. In the next two years, the Jets have five first round picks, two in 2026 and three in 2027. The talent in the next two drafts is amazing, including defensive standouts and offensive superstars, including Texas quarterback Arch Manning, which ultimately could be the major prize in 2027. Granted, the Jets had three first round picks when they drafted Sauce too. Just because you have the assets, if you can’t develop those assets, it doesn’t mean squat.
By trading away Gardner, the Jets received a haul reminiscent of the Micah Parsons trade from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers; two first rounders and a wide receiver, Adonai Mitchell. The Jets add a desperately needed playmaker, while losing a top-five cornerback in the NFL. Despite the hurt of moving on from a player of Gardner’s caliber, Indianapolis will take on the brunt of his four-year contract, with cap hits of $9.5 million in 2026 and $20.9 million in 2027, before rising to more than $26 million in 2028. The Jets free up significant cap space to hunt for free agents and pay up-and-coming players who they can build around.
The 2025 Jets retain running back Breece Hall, who has been going off in recent weeks, despite trade interest from other squads. The moves also told the league the Jets are going to draft a quarterback in the next two years, or put together a significant trade package for a player who has been on their radar for some time now. Hard to tell who that player could be.
But will head coach Aaron Glenn be around for the transformation? The Jets haven’t had a stable leader under the headset since Rex Ryan. If Glenn can survive the storm and be around, the Jets could build something to begin to be in the playoff hunt once again.
Now, I’m not saying the Jets could be Super Bowl contenders (as many pundits foolishly thought when Aaron Rodgers came to the Jets), but they may be able to win more than one game, and have an offense which doesn’t put up -10 passing yards in a game.
Brandon, Author
Brandon spends his days managing a plumbing warehouse and his nights obsessing over the Broncos — and somehow still finds time to write for Broncos Wire. A diehard fan with orange and blue running through his veins, he’s currently training his toddler to boo the Chiefs on sight. Insightful, loyal, and just petty enough to be entertaining, Brandon brings the fandom fire every week.
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