Two trades, two All-Pros gone, and one franchise turned completely upside down. The New York Jets stunned the NFL on Tuesday afternoon, trading away cornerstone defenders Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams just before the trade deadline. The moves signaled a dramatic and abrupt teardown for a team that entered the 2025-26 season with playoff aspirations, leaving the locker room and the fan base reeling.
How Did Breece Hall React to the Trades?
The decision to part with two of the league’s best defensive players comes under a new regime, led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn. Both were hired earlier this year to reshape a roster that underperformed in 2024, and they entered the 2025-26 campaign facing immense pressure to deliver results. Instead, they opted for a full-scale rebuild.
Gardner, the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Williams, a former No. 3 overall pick, were considered foundational pieces of the Jets’ defense. Gardner quickly became one of the NFL’s premier cover corners, while Williams anchored the defensive line with disruptive power and leadership. However, their presence wasn’t enough to prevent a defensive regression in 2025. New York entered the week with a PFSN Defense Impact Score of 67.6, ranking just 23rd in the league and highlighting the need for a new direction.
In the day’s first major deal, Gardner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. Shortly after, Williams was sent to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-rounder, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The immediate fallout was felt most acutely in the locker room. Running back Breece Hall was among the first players to react publicly, posting a raw and emotional message on X after the deadline passed. In a now-deleted post, Hall expressed his frustration and disappointment.
“Sick about my bruddas man. Happy for them, but man, I’m sick rn,” Hall wrote.
Jets RB Breece Hall wanted to be traded before today’s deadline and is mad that his request wasn’t fulfilled while two of his All-Pro teammates were dealt 🤧
“Sick about my bruddas man happy for them but man im sick rn,” Hall wrote on X. pic.twitter.com/a0JbKa3w4v
— Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) November 4, 2025
Hall, who reportedly requested a trade of his own earlier in the afternoon, was not moved and remains on the roster. His message underscored the personal toll of the team’s decisions, especially for a young core that had grown close during their time together in New York.
MORE: 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker
With Gardner and Williams gone, the Jets now turn their attention to a challenging second-half schedule that includes road games against the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills.
The defense will be tested immediately against some of the league’s most explosive offenses, forcing the coaching staff to rely on younger players and recent depth additions to stabilize a unit that has struggled to generate pressure.
The trades, however, provide a massive haul of draft capital. The Jets now hold two first-round and two second-round picks in 2026, plus three first-rounders and a second-rounder in 2027. That collection of assets gives Hougey significant flexibility to rebuild the roster quickly, though the team’s future now hinges on how effectively it leverages those premium picks.