The New York Jets’ trade deadline fire sale drew some high praise from SB Nation’s James Dator, who listed the Jets as one of the biggest winners of the deadline.
The Jets stockpiled draft capital to retool and [hopefully] land a franchise quarterback by offloading key contributors like Michael Carter II (traded to the Eagles), Sauce Gardner (traded to the Colts) and Quinnen Williams (traded to the Cowboys). In return, they landed three future first round picks and a second rounder. So they basically punted on an already-bleak present to help ensure a brighter future. This was wise in the eyes of Dator.
“It’s okay to bristle at the idea of the already hopeless Jets trading away their two best players at the deadline,” he wrote. “It’s not as if Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams are easily replaced players, and there’s no question the team is worse today than yesterday — but the future is much, much brighter.
“When it comes to brass tacks the Jets haven’t been winning with Gardner and Williams, and if the front office thinks it’s time to fully rebuild, then wasting talents for 2-3 years during the rebuild just isn’t smart. . . The Jets took advantage of a sellers market to add a ludicrous amount of assets at the deadline.”
Other listed winners from the deadline include the Philadelphia Eagles, who made a trio of moves to upgrade the defense, and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, who was traded from the struggling Saints to the surging Seahawks.
But, while the Jets as a team were listed as winners, that designation didn’t extend to running back Breece Hall, who was listed as a loser after not being moved along with his talented teammates.
“The one guy on the Jets roster who desperately wanted a trade never got one,” Dator wrote. “Hall has been deeply unhappy with the Jets and was hoping to be dealt on the deadline — but a trade never came to pass.”
The rest of the season is going to be rough for Hall and Jets fans alike. But, the plethora of picks pocketed by the team prior to the deadline should provide at least some hope for the future.