Ian Rapoport compares the bounty of the trade deadline to the Thunder
The The New York Jets went on a small sale during the NFL trade deadline. Sitting at 1-7 at the deadline, the front office decided to stockpile future assets. They traded away two of their best defensive players in Sauce Gardner and Quinn Williamsin exchange for two first-round picks and a young player in Mazie Smith.
After the trade, the Jets have 16 draft picks in the next two drafts. Does this remind you of a different team? Well, Ian Rapoport compared New York’s current situation to the reigning NBA championsthe Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC and their general manager, Sam Presti, used their many draft picks to create a title contender.
“The Jets now have three additional first-round picks and one additional second-round pick in the next two drafts following the trade — a total of eight picks in the first two rounds of the 26th and 27th drafts,” Rapoport wrote for NFL.com. “That should allow them (if they choose wisely) to rebuild this team along the lines of Mougey and Glenn. It’s reminiscent of Sam Presti stockpiling 17 first-rounders from 2020-26 to the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, then using the capital to trade, trade and hope for the Jets.”
Can the Jets orchestrate a turnaround with their stockpile of assets? They have many ways to achieve this goal. One way they can use these draft picks is to use these picks to trade for a player in the bar. Given the state of their roster, however, it might make sense to spend these picks on young players in the draft. With their pick, they could trade up to get a player they really like in the draft.
For now, though, the Jets should use the rest of the 2025 season to evaluate the rest of their roster. Even after trading Williams and Gardner, the Jets have some intriguing young players who could be potential cornerstones in the future. Players like Garrett Wilson, Brice Hall and Jermaine Johnson are the Jets’ young stars who could be the centerpiece of a future contender in the Big Apple.
2025-11-09 16:31:00
