The New York Jets made themselves the story of the trade deadline on Tuesday, first dealing CB Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and following it up by sending DT Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Jets acquired a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and DT Mazi Smith in exchange for Williams, who was initially targeted by the Cowboys over the summer in Micah Parsons talks that didn't come to fruition.
Williams spent seven seasons with the Jets, earning three Pro Bowl selections and signing an extension in 2023 that paid him an average of $22 million annually to be one of the NFL's top interior defensive linemen.
Here's what you need to know about why the Jets traded Williams.
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Jets QB Williams trade query
While the Jets' trade of Gardner to the Colts was a stunner, their decision to deal Williams was reportedly less surprising within the organization.
Williams was "unhappy with the direction of the team" in recent weeks and "was telling people close to him he wanted to be traded," The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported Tuesday.
Quinnen Williams is being traded to the Cowboys.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) November 4, 2025
I was told in recent weeks by multiple sources that Williams was unhappy with the direction of the team and that he was telling people close to him he wanted to be traded.
Even as that started to spread around the league, the…
SNY's Connor Hughes confirmed Williams requested a trade three times, reporting Williams' relationship with the Jets started to go south after the team moved on from Aaron Rodgers. Hughes also claimed coach Aaron Glenn was "critical" of Williams in a one-on-one meeting.
That evidently didn't remove much of the Jets' leverage, as the haul they received for Williams is enticing: a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and DT Mazi Smith, a former first-round pick who hasn't panned out to this point.
While Smith may be a shot in the dark, the picks are valuable. The Cowboys are currently 3-5-1, so their second-round pick figures to land somewhere in the 33–48 range. The 2027 first-round pick is the higher of the Cowboys' and Packers' selections, so just one of those teams missing the playoffs would guarantee the Jets a top-18 pick.
Once the Jets traded Gardner, it was clear the franchise was looking toward the future. Parting with Williams will hurt their defensive line in a major way, but the team is already 1-7. If New York was going to continue to lose, it can now do so knowing it has five first-round picks over the next three drafts and an additional second-rounder in 2026.
MORE: Why the Jets traded Sauce Gardner
Quinnen Williams deal specifics
Williams is in the second year of a four-year, $96 million contract extension he signed with the Jets in 2023. The deal includes $66 million in guarantees and runs through 2027.
Williams' cap hit for 2026 is set to be $21.75 million before rising to $25.5 million in 2027. The Cowboys would be able to get out of the contract after the 2026 season at no cost as it's currently structured, though they seem to be invested for the long haul after giving up two high draft picks to land him.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Jets of all time
Quinnen Williams speaks
Williams posted a statement about the trade to his X account. In it, he thanked the Jets' organization and the fans, and told Dallas that he "can't wait to get to work."
New York will always have a special place in my heart. To my teammates, coaches, and the entire Jets organization, thank you for believing in me and helping me develop on and off the field. To the fans, thank you for embracing a kid from Alabama and showing love through every…
— Quinnen Williams (@QuinnenWilliams) November 5, 2025