Jets, Darren Mougey lauded for one of the best trades of the offseason

Darren Mougey has earned himself quite a reputation as an aggressive trader throughout his short tenure as general manager of the New York Jets.

It began with trades along the margins last summer, when New York acquired defensive tackles Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs right before the season, and continued at the trade deadline when he dealt Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for a boatload of assets that will hopefully play a key role in turning around the franchise.

In 2026, Mougey has picked up right where he left off, wheeling and dealing, supplementing the Jets roster with players who can either help the team win now or get value on players who don't expect to play a role in the future.

One of those deals was lauded by ESPN as one of the best of the offseason, and it was the trade with the Tennessee Titans that landed nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Darren Mougey receives rave reviews on Jets-Titans T'Vondre Sweat trade

ESPN's Seth Walder gave the Jets an "A-" grade for the deal that swapped former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson for Sweat, considering New York's needs and the financial flexibility it granted them.

"Sweat has two years left on his rookie deal and will cost the Jets just $1.6 and $2.1 million in each of those years, respectively. Sweat is also younger and, in my view, has a better chance to be a plus contributor than Johnson. That makes this deal well worth it for New York, especially considering the Jets will get a player with another year of team control for less money."

Seth Walder

Parting with Johnson was a tough pill to swallow for some Jets fans. He was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and was one of the faces of the team throughout the Robert Saleh era. But considering New York's change in defensive scheme, it was clear they weren't going to give him a new contract, and they decided to get as much for him as they could while they could.

Johnson was due $13.4 million this season playing on his fifth-year option, and the Jets essentially paid for running back Breece Hall's franchise tag by dumping the former Florida State Seminole. The RB franchise tag amounts to about $14.3 million.

By swapping him out for Sweat, the Jets gained a player who fits the current makeup of their team, and on a cost-controlled contract. It wasn't the flashiest trade Mougey made this offseason, but it certainly could end up paying off the most amongst the others.