Jermaine Johnson reacts to shocking twist in Jets trade deadline plans

The New York Jets just returned from their bye week, where they celebrated picking up their first win of the season. But on Tuesday was the NFL trade deadline, and fans expected the Jets to move some players. But no one could have expected this.

Shortly after noon Tuesday, multiple reports indicated that the Jets traded away star cornerback and 2022 first-round pick Sauce Garner to the Indianapolis Colts. Yes, the Jets traded away Gardner, a fan favorite

But in terms of the return, the Jets are acquiring a 2026 first-rounder, a 2027 first-rounder, and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in exchange. It is a gigantic return for general manager Darren Mougey, but at the expense of their best player, who just signed a massive contract extension this past offseason.

If you thought Jets fans were stunned by this news, so was defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who used a GIF to describe how shocked he was.

Jermaine Johnson II stunned that Jets traded away Sauce Gardner

That's a fair reaction. And it is a bit ironic, considering that Johnson felt like the big-name Jets player most likely to be moved at the trade deadline.

There are plenty of teams that are in need of pass-rush help. Teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Buffalo Bills stand out, considering they have dealt with injuries at the edge rusher position. Johnson is in his fourth year with the Jets, who exercised his fifth-year option for next season, so the Jets could get more value in a potential trade.

But who would have guessed that Gardner would be traded before Johnson? We'd bet the odds were incredibly slim.

Gardner has been a superstar for the Jets since being selected fourth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading the league in pass breakups with 20. In his first two seasons, Gardner was named a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. This offseason, he was rewarded with a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. Just 10 weeks into his first season after signing the deal, Gardner is on his way to Indianapolis.

No one, not Jets fans, Colts fans, or football fans in general, saw this trade coming. Even Johnson, who was the most likely player to be moved, is stunned that Gardner is no longer on the Jets.