FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Ready, set, trade: General manager Darren Mougey has executed 14 player trades in 14 months, so it's easy to assume he will be wheeling and dealing as the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaches. Don't be surprised if that's not the case.
There won't be a sell-off like last year (see: Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams blockbusters). There might not be anything splashy. It feels like the Jets (2-5) are leaning toward standing pat. Of course, never say "never" with Mougey.
Let's examine where the Jets stand regarding trade candidates.
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson generated the most buzz this week after frustration spilled into the media -- with him having to answer questions about if he wanted to be traded or not and ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting Saturday that there's "no way" that the Jets would deal their star wideout. Wilson told reporters that he won't ask for a trade despite his lack of targets in recent weeks amid the losing. Stay tuned, though. This could be an offseason storyline, especially if things don't improve.
Braelon Allen's emergence at running back has fueled speculation about Breece Hall, but would the Jets trade him six months after giving him a three-year, $43.5 million extension? It happened to Gardner last year. In this case, it seems unlikely.
The Jets believe that they have the NFL's best 1-2 punch, and they don't want to break it up. Even if they wanted to move him, Hall's recent injuries may give teams pause. He has missed four games because of a quadriceps injury after missing a chunk of training camp because of a strained groin.
More realistic trade candidates:
Will McDonald IV: Remember when coach Aaron Glenn boasted about how they would coach him up, turning him into an all-around force? That was a year ago. The former first-round pick is now a part-time player with only two sacks and four quarterback hits. But he has pass-rushing ability (10.5 sacks in 2024), so there will be interest. Former Jets coach Jeff Ulbrich is the Atlanta Falcons' defensive coordinator, and he could use an edge rusher. McDonald, due a guaranteed $13.8 million in 2027, could bring back a fourth- or fifth-round pick.
Nahshon Wright: He told ESPN that he's frustrated and open to a trade, a sentiment he said he shared with the organization. It seemed to be a good signing at the time, a noted ballhawk (five interceptions last season with the Chicago Bears) joining a team that had no picks in 2025. It hasn't worked out, as he has yet to play a defensive snap. He's on a one-year deal for $3.5 million.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr.: He was a healthy scratch last week because he missed multiple mandatory meetings, leading to a team fine, Brownlee told ESPN. He might be back in the lineup this week, but rookie D'Angelo Ponds is waiting in the wings at nickel back. Acquired in a September 2025 trade, Brownlee is on a team-friendly contract through 2027.
Andre Cisco: The veteran safety lost his starting job to Dane Belton in the preseason, reducing him to spot duty on defense and special teams. He's a four-year starter, still only 26, on a modest, one-year contract. Maybe a contending team, in search of safety depth, will come calling.
Jamien Sherwood: The linebacker won't be easy to trade because his contract has more than $4 million remaining this season, plus a non-guaranteed $15 million in 2027. At times, Sherwood has frustrated the organization, which gave him a three-year, $45 million deal last year. There was talk of reducing his role, but his play has improved over the past two weeks.
Harrison Phillips: He's a good locker room guy and a run-stuffing defensive tackle, but he's in the final year of his contract at age 30. The interior line is thin because of injuries, so it probably makes sense to hold on to him.
Tight end: They have more tight ends (five) than they know what to do with, so it wouldn't be a shock if one of them gets moved. Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods (free agent in 2027) are the most likely candidates.
2. Conflicting agendas? There's an interesting dynamic as the trade deadline approaches.
Presumably, Mougey has an eye on the future because that's what GMs do. Glenn, likely coaching for his job, needs as many wins as possible, so he'd be less apt to trade players for draft picks. This can be a slippery slope for teams when jobs are on the line. In this case, the sense is that Glenn will get a chance to flip the fortunes of the current roster, which isn't devoid of talent.
3. What happens in Vegas ... The Jets host the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) on Sunday, setting up one of those quirky matchups that we occasionally see in the current salary cap climate.
Quarterback Geno Smith is receiving most of his salary from the Raiders, who traded him in March. The Raiders are paying $16.3 million, with the Jets responsible for the rest ($3.3 million).
This is one of those cases in which a player can hand a loss to the team paying most of his salary.
4. Wee-hour news flash: It's funny how news travels in a social media world. Cornerback Azareye'h Thomas said he received a 3 a.m. text from a family member passing along Ashton Jeanty's eyebrow-raising comments about the Jets' defense. The Raiders' running back was critical, saying the Jets have a "couple of guys ... that don't really want to tackle."
Publicly, Thomas and his teammates shrugged it off, but the quote was a topic of conversation behind closed doors, players said.
5. Two hats: Glenn gave a candid answer when asked about his dual role, managing the game while calling the defense. He insisted it's not too much on his plate, but he acknowledged, "It's not easy. I'll be up front and tell you that."
It's fair to wonder if it's contributing to the Jets' well-documented issues with clock management.
6. Got a minute (or two?): The Jets are devoting additional practice time to two-minute situations, according to Glenn. They do a two-minute jog-through on Wednesdays, a live two-minute period on Thursdays and another two-minute session on Saturdays.
This has been an epic struggle. In 24 games under Glenn, the Jets have been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half.
7. Lucky horseshoe: When the Jets traded Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for a package that included first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, New York didn't expect either of those picks to be very high. After all, the Colts were 7-2 at the time, looking like a team on the rise.
Since then, they've lost 12 out of 15 games. The 2026 first-rounder turned out to be No. 16 (tight end Kenyon Sadiq) and the 2027 first-rounder seemingly is improving by the day.
The Colts have traded two of their best players -- guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. More trades appear imminent, including being open to trading one of the NFL's most dangerous offensive players in running back Jonathan Taylor, sources told ESPN and NFL Network.
It could work out brilliantly for the Jets. At 2-5, the Colts own the seventh pick, per Tankathon. The Jets also have their own pick (10th) and the Dallas Cowboys' pick (12th), giving them plenty of ammunition if they want to trade up for a quarterback.
8. Where's Sadiq? The rookie has been invisible (four catches for 24 yards) since his seven-catch, 105-yard breakout in Week 3. What gives?
Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Mason Taylor's return from injury has resulted in a lower target share for Sadiq, but he acknowledged, "We can do a better job of getting him a few touches here and there."
They made him a first-round pick for a reason.
9. Motown memory: Whenever things look bleak, Glenn occasionally references his previous team, the Detroit Lions, who reversed their fortunes in 2022. He hasn't brought this up publicly, but it might have crossed his mind.
In 2022, the Lions started 1-6, with a four-point home loss to the Miami Dolphins in their seventh game. From there, Detroit won eight of its last 10 to finish 9-8.
Glenn's Jets suffered a three-point home loss to the Dolphins in New York's seventh game. If he wants a similar hot streak, now would be a good time to start.
10. The last word: "There's a healthy tension." -- Reich on Wilson, saying he understands the receiver's frustration with the lack of targets, adding that he still impacts the game when he doesn't get the ball.