On Tuesday, Jets general manager Darren Mougey earned much-needed social capital (applause rather than boos) when he executed a trade of two core players and got plenty of draft picks in return. While there is finally something positive in Jets-land, Mougey must deliver to remain as the Jets’ GM.
Courtesy Yahoo! Sports
Here’s what Darren Mougey did. He traded Sauce Gardner for two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. He followed it up by trading impending free agent Quinnen Williams for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
It was a ‘Godfather-type deal’ (one that you couldn’t refuse), a move the Jets needed desperately to accelerate the team’s rebuilding process.
But making the deal is the easy part because a one-off success won’t be enough to help the Jets, given the depth of their woes. Mougey knows that he must follow up the trade with a blockbuster draft — not just in 2025, mind you, but in 2026 as well (if he’s still around, that is). Swing and miss? It will likely mean that he will follow John Idzik, Mike Maccagnan, and Joe Douglas and be out of a job.
The good news is that Mougey has plenty of draft capital to play with in the next two years. He could use the draft picks to move up in getting the quarterback he covets. Another option would be drafting a quarterback with those picks. Maybe those picks can be traded for an established quarterback, such as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
As crazy as it sounds, I bet that NFL execs envy Mougey for being in this spot. Odds are on his side, too: the more draft picks you have, the more chances you have in getting it right. But make no mistake about it: there is no margin for error because Mougey’s situation gives life to what Jerry Glanville once said about the NLF, “It means ‘Not For Long.’”
It’s no secret that the Jets need a quarterback to get this franchise out of the wilderness, and the next two seasons boast a fantastic class of quarterbacks. That was something Mougey had in mind when he pulled off the blockbuster trades.
But, as we all know, doing it is much more difficult than saying it. For example, we thought Sam Darnold would be the next Joe Namath, but he turned out to be more like Browning Nagle. Of course, Darnold has become a competent player since leaving the Jets, and that shows you how hard it is to be successful here.
IU’s Mendoza (photo courtesy SI)
Still, I like the cast of quarterbacks that will be available, including Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and Carson Beck (Miami, FL). Moreover, with two first-round picks in the draft, Mougey should also be able to select a wide receiver to complement Garrett Wilson. How important is that? Very. The Jets haven’t had two playmakers at that position in recent seasons.
There’s more. Getting an offensive lineman is always a must. The Jets haven’t had a competent pair since D’Brickashaw Ferguson and the late Nick Mangold. You can’t run and pass unless … you know that.
Finally, there is a glimmer of hope in what has been (another) lousy season. Let’s see how Mougey does with what is on his silver platter.
No ifs, ands, or buts, Mougey’s job depends on getting it right.
