This NFL season has been a very dull blip in a very dull history for the New York Jets. Going into the trade deadline they boasted a horrendous 1-7 record.
General Manager Darren Mougey decided that it was time to bear down and accept the tank. He traded key defensive players Sauce Gardner, Michael Carter II and Quinnen Williams for more draft capital, and role-playing wide receivers John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell.
With Garrett Wilson suffering a knee injury that has sidelined him for multiple weeks, the replacement wide receivers have done a serviceable job, but the moves have lots of Jets fans scratching their heads and wondering how these deals can impact the future of this struggling organization.
Most fans acknowledge the fact that the team is not going to be a winning franchise anytime soon and should have done the right thing participating in the firesale. Many believe even more moves should have been made and more pieces should have been shipped. Academy senior and longtime fan Leo Rizzi said “this past trade deadline, I wish they would have also traded Breece Hall, because if they traded Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams who were two great players, it shows that they are planning to rebuild.”
While the offense has been playing somewhat well, the reason for the downturn and poor record has been an inconsistency throughout the team. When the offense plays well, the defense does not play well. We saw this matter showcased in the season opener when the Jets lost a nailbiter to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-32 with huge performances from new quarterback Justin Fields and star receiver Garrett Wilson.
The defense has been a huge part of the small amounts of success seen in this Jets team, making the moves made by Mougey even more confusing. “The defense has remained the same with a great depth at defensive line to replace Williams. Sauce Gardner was not playing to his potential here in New York due to the struggles and losing record of the team. Williams as well was unhappy with the team and that clearly affected his performance on the field,” said Coach William Carey Jr.
This shows signs of hope for Jets fans as even without their big stars they can make a statement on the defensive front. With the shedding of huge salaries and more cap space, the Jets can definitely look to make some big moves in this offseason to bolster their team as well as use the draft capital obtained from shipping their big-time players.
Despite the small slivers of promise, trading big-name players will always have an effect on fan morale as well as outside perspectives. “I think the front office displays zero capability of delivering a championship. Unless they have an amazing draft which I find to be unlikely due to the horrible running of the franchise I think this team is in for a terrible run,” says Academy senior and Bills fan Ben Janis. With a promising draft and utilizing the resources they have obtained from these big trades they may even be able to improve the team from what it was when they had Gardner and Williams. “This gives them a window to draft potential star talent but I doubt the front office succeeds in doing so,” says Janis.
So with lots of questions surrounding the team it will come down to how the front office can build around key pieces and what they will do to turn around a negative stigma and an abysmal losing season.