The New York Jets (2-7) look like they could be in the midst of another rough season as they have lost their last four games after starting the year with a 2-3 record. New York was likely hoping to end the losing with veterans like quarterback Geno Smith in the fold, but as the 2026 NFL trade deadline passed on Tuesday, the Jets did not make many moves.
Since the 2026 season began, the Jets have only made one trade when they sent safety Andre Cisco to the Detroit Lions for a 2028 sixth-round pick, but they have gained more ground towards their ultimate goal of rebuilding. One of the first-round picks that New York will in 2027 is from the Indianapolis Colts and after Tuesday's events, it looks like the Jets could be getting even more than they bargained
for.
When the Jets traded cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts last season, that was one of the biggest signs that New York was committed to the rebuild despite having some high-level talent on the roster. However, as Indianapolis has dealt with injuries to players like quarterback Daniel Jones, the Colts are also in the midst of a forgetful season. As a result, they have unloaded some of their veteran players.
While Indianapolis has surprisingly held on to Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor, they have seemingly indicated that they're playing for the future as well as they traded four players prior to the deadline. Since Oct. 27, the Colts have traded defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, offensive lineman Quenton Nelson, wide receiver Keenan Allen, and wide receiver Josh Downs for a total of six draft picks.
For the Jets, they're now projected to have the No. 4 (via Colts), No. 6, and No. 13 (via Cowboys) overall picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, which is good news for a New York team that might finally want to invest one of those picks in a quarterback. Time will tell if general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn will be in their current positions when the 2027 draft comes around, but for now, the Jets are in an even better spot for the 2027 draft thanks to the Colts being sellers at the deadline.
Colts trading WRs Keenan Allen and Josh Downs should help the Jets rebuild as owners of Indianapolis’ first-round pick from the Sauce Gardner trade. #Jets
— Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) November 10, 2026
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets' Sauce Gardner trade to Colts improves after NFL trade deadline
