This year's NFL trade deadline was more eventful than many anticipated. Trade deadlines in the NFL usually involve a few deals involving starters. Trades for star players are rare. Not this season, though. The New York Jets traded away two of their best defensive stars at the deadline, dealing Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys and Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Cowboys made a move to bolster their ailing defense by trading for Williams. As it turns out, though, Dallas wasn't the only team that wanted to acquire Williams. According to Rich Cimini, the Jacksonville Jaguars were the other team that was trying to make a run at the star defensive tackle.
“Unlike the Gardner deal, the Williams trade came late and fast,” Cimini wrote for ESPN. “Talks with the Cowboys intensified Monday, Jets team sources said. The Jets made it clear to Dallas that they had to be blown away to part with one of the league's best defensive tackles. Another team, reportedly the Jacksonville Jaguars, made a strong push. It was an ideal situation for the Jets, who had two teams interested.”
With the team struggling this season, the Jets decided to load up for the future by trading two of their best defensive players. They got a decent haul for both players: trading Williams netted them a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and former Cowboys first-round pick Mazi Smith. Gardner, on the other hand, was traded for two first-round picks from the Colts.
The Cowboys badly needed help on the defensive end. They're one of the worst defenses in the NFL this season, unable to stop both the run and the pass. Adding Williams should help out their defense a bit, but it's still hard to see a path for Dallas this season. The Colts, on the other hand, are struggling with injuries on the defense, particularly at the cornerback position. Gardner will be an instant upgrade for Indy as they look to go all-in this seaosn.
