Breece Hall and Jermaine Johnson went from being part of a larger Jets core to being two of the pieces left standing after a pair of blockbuster deals ahead of the trade deadline Tuesday.
That made the post-deadline reality difficult to comprehend for the Gang Green running back, while Johnson expressed optimism about what the Jets still can become eventually.
First-year general manager Darren Mougey traded Gardner to the Colts for a pair of first-round picks — one in 2026, another in 2027 — along with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, while Williams was sent to Dallas for a second-round pick in 2026, a first-round selection in 2027 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
“Sick about my bruddas man,” Hall wrote in a since-deleted X post. “happy for them but man im sick rn.”
Johnson, who said he felt “sick” too, would “be lying” if he said he was happy that Williams and Gardner were gone, he wrote.
Breece Hall addresses reporters during a Sept. 19 press conference. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
“But, I believe strongly in the organization, staff and my other brothers in the locker room,” Johnson wrote in an X post, in part. “I said when I got drafted I wanted to be the reason or part of the reason this thing gets changed for the better and that’s going to continue to be my outlook. I love this team and this fan base and y’all will continue to get my all, my absolute best on and off the field. Let’s look onward and upward because better things are coming and I give my word on that.”
Gardner was a first-round pick in the same draft class as Johnson and Hall in 2022, while Williams arrived three years before them as a first-rounder in 2019.
Jermaine Johnson addresses reporters during an Oct. 16 press conference. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
The deals gave Mougey and the rest of the Jets front office plenty of draft capital to work with — two first-rounders next year, two second-rounders next year, three first-rounders in 2027 — in their rebuild and search for a franchise quarterback, but it took some of the most talented Jets players off their roster.
Hall also ended up in trade rumors leading up to the deadline on Tuesday, but the fourth-year running back, Johnson and star wideout Garrett Wilson didn’t end up getting moved.
Through eight games in 2025, Hall has collected 581 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on a Jets offense that has struggled aside from two games, and he’ll be a free agent after the season. The Jets rushing attack was supposed to be a strength entering the season behind Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis and quarterback Justin Fields, but Allen sustained an MCL sprain at the end of September and Gang Green, in general, have struggled to run the ball.
Hall made it clear before the season — after Gardner and Wilson both signed their long-term extensions — that he needed to prove himself to the new regime in order to land an extension himself. Johnson, who only appeared in two games last season before tearing his Achilles, has collected a sack through five games.
Quinnen Williams reacts from the Jets’ sideline during their Oct. 5 loss to the Cowboys. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
But now, the Jets will need to adjust to life without their top cornerback and top defensive tackle heading into their game Sunday against the Browns.
Why didn’t the Jets complete the full-scale fire sale and include the pending free agent Hall?
“Through this process, we talk about a lot of things, we field a lot of calls and we have [trade] values,” GM Darren Mougey said. “Breece is a talented player and he is going to help us compete and win games the rest of the season.”
But Mougey wouldn’t commit to Hall being part of the 2026 Jets, whether via the franchise tag or an extension.
Sauce Gardner walks off the field after the Jets’ Oct. 5 loss to the Cowboys. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
“I’m excited to see Breece play against the Cleveland Browns [on] Sunday,” Mougey said. “And I’m excited he’s on our team.”
No one is going to confuse the three newest Jets with the players that are going the other way in deadline trades.
Mougey made his first comments Tuesday on receiver John Metchie III (acquired from the Eagles for cornerback Michael Carter II in a deal that included a pick swap), receiver Adonai Mitchell (acquired from the Colts with two first-round picks for Gardner) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (acquired from the Cowboys with a first-round pick and a second-round pick for Williams).
On Mitchell: “Big, fast, physical, talented receiver.”
On Metchie: “Another athletic guy. He’s got inside-outside flex.”
On Smith: “A big, talented, physical defensive tackle who can help us in the run game.”
