NFL Trade Deadline: Jets' Star Exits Reshape Three Franchises
A year after moving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, the Jets, Colts, and Cowboys face divergent paths with 14 combined wins.
By Ethan Cooper ·
The New York Jets traded two elite defensive players in a two-hour window on Nov. 4, 2025, and the resulting ripple effects have reshaped three franchises.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner went to the Indianapolis Colts at 12:47 p.m. ET, followed by defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys at 2:05 p.m. ET. The combined record of the three teams since that deadline is 14 wins and 35 losses.
The trades altered the leadership and roster depth of all three organizations. Colts general manager Chris Ballard was fired on Oct. 19 after a 3-13 start. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is 4-13 and faces job security concerns, while Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer remains under pressure despite a 43% chance to make the playoffs according to ESPN Analytics.
Gardner, then 24, and Williams, then 27, were in the prime of their careers. The Jets received first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for Gardner, along with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. For Williams, New York secured a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The Jets also hold the rights to the better of two 2027 first-round selections from the Cowboys.
The Colts’ decision to acquire Gardner was a departure from general manager Chris Ballard’s usual strategy of accumulating later-round picks. The team hoped Gardner would help a 7-2 squad reach the playoffs. Instead, the Colts have become one of the league’s weakest teams, losing 42-7 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their most recent game. Gardner has missed five games since the trade due to calf injuries.
“It’s definitely tough,” Gardner said regarding his current situation. “God ain’t going to put me in a certain position for no reason. We’re going to overcome this thing.” The Colts have since traded veteran offensive guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to rebuild their draft capital.
For the Cowboys, Williams has fit into the defensive structure. He ranks second in the NFL with 11 tackles for loss and leads the team with five sacks. The Cowboys signed him to a three-year, $105.9 million extension in August. Williams serves as a team captain and is a key voice in the locker room, with his locker located next to quarterback Dak Prescott.
“Quinnen’s been here for almost a year now. He kind of understands how we function, and so he’s much more apt to speak his mind,” Schottenheimer said. “When he talks, everybody kind of stops and listens.” The Cowboys still struggle against the run, but Williams provides a pass rush that was lacking after the departure of Micah Parsons.
The Jets are now entering the 2026 draft with three first-round picks, a position not achieved by any team since 1967. They use the capital to address a critical need at quarterback, where 36-year-old Geno Smith serves as a temporary starter. The trades have yielded three current roster players: Mitchell, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and nickelback D’Angelo Ponds. Mitchell missed four games this season with a finger injury but finished with a career-high 142 receiving yards in one game.
The Jets absorbed nearly $21 million in cap hits for 2026 from the trades. Their defensive line remains a weakness, with current interior players producing only three sacks. The organization believes the draft capital provides the ammunition to target a specific franchise quarterback in April, a primary goal of the original moves.
