New York Jets

New York Jets head coach Adam Gase addressed rumors over the future of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. 

Gase told reporters Wednesday any reports that link Williams to a trade are "false."

"There's nothing to that," he said.

The New York Daily News' Manish Mehta reported Tuesday the Jets "have been proactive in attempting to get more draft capital in exchange for the third overall pick of the 2019 draft."

However, the New York Post's Brian Costello and ESPN's Rich Cimini reported the team isn't looking to deal Williams ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

General manager Joe Douglas has already traded Leonard Williams and Jamal Adams and released Le'Veon Bell less than two years into his four-year, $52.5 million deal. The GM hasn't been afraid to make his mark on the roster.

Additional factors played into those three transactions, though. Williams was set to become a free agent prior to his move to the New York Giants. Adams' and Bell's relationship with the team had deteriorated to the point where a separation was inevitable.

Williams is only two years into his rookie deal, and there's nothing to indicate he's disgruntled behind the scenes and demanding a trade.

Going into selling mode makes sense for the Jets since they're winless through seven games, yet they have little reason to offload a player who figures to be a big part of their defense going forward. 

Williams had four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as a rookie in 2019 and has already exceeded that production—five tackles for loss and three sacks—in his second year. The former Alabama star should be considered a cornerstone of New York's defensive line.

Gase's comments should serve as the final word on whether the 22-year-old will be on another team in 2020.

New York Jets fans would surely love an alternative timeline where Patrick Mahomes is setting records for their team instead of the Kansas City Chiefs, but that reportedly was never a serious possibility.

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, former general manager Mike Maccagnan was not particularly interested in selecting Mahomes with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft and instead wanted to give more time to 2016 second-rounder Christian Hackenberg.

"After speaking to several people who were inside the Jets organization at the time and involved in the draft, it is clear the Jets never seriously considered drafting Mahomes," Costello wrote. "They had worked him out at Texas Tech and even had him to Florham Park for a visit. But Maccagnan was committed to giving Hackenberg a chance to play in 2017 after taking him in the second round the year before."

It should be noted that the Jets were far from the only team to pass on Mahomes.

There were questions at the time about whether a quarterback coming out of pass-happy Texas Tech would translate to the NFL level, and he fell to the Chiefs at No. 10. The Jets also landed an All-Pro player with the No. 6 pick in safety Jamal Adams, although he is no longer on the team after they traded him to the Seattle Seahawks this year.

That decision looks better in hindsight than, for example, the Chicago Bears trading up to No. 2 to take Mitchell Trubisky instead of Mahomes. That decision has set Chicago's offense back a generation and largely prevented it from competing for Super Bowls with a formidable defense already in place.

Unfortunately for the Jets, they have been in a similar spot at quarterback.

Hackenberg never panned out at the professional level, and Sam Darnold is now the franchise signal-caller after they selected him with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft. While the USC product has flashed his potential at times, he is 11-20 as a starter and has been largely inconsistent.

Mahomes has been anything but inconsistent and already has a league MVP and Super Bowl trophy in his first two seasons as a starter. He appears well on his way to a Hall of Fame career and could have provided stability in New York, Chicago or a number of other places if the draft played out differently.

Yet the Jets apparently never truly considered such a move.

The New York Jets could be looking for a fresh start after falling to 0-7, but opposing coaches don't think the team should move on from quarterback Sam Darnold.

"The Jets are crazy if they let Darnold go," one unnamed NFL head coach told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

New York has struggled mightily this season as the only winless team remaining in the NFL and being outscored by 118 points through Week 7. The Dallas Cowboys have the second-worst margin at minus-67.

It puts the Jets on track to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, where they could select a new quarterback of the future (presumably Clemson's Trevor Lawrence).

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Darnold isn't expected to be traded before the Nov. 3 deadline, although he could still be moved in the offseason.

The third-year quarterback hasn't played well overall in 2020, throwing three touchdowns with six interceptions in five starts. His 65.0 quarterback rating is the second-worst in the NFL among qualified players ahead of only Drew Lock.

He also admitted that he isn't doing enough to help his team win.

"At the end of the day people judge me and the head coach on wins and losses," Darnold said in September. "Those are the only things that matter to me. So, anything else, it just doesn’t matter."

Still, the 23-year-old has shown plenty of promise throughout his young career and clearly doesn't have a lot of help around him. The offensive line has struggled, his receivers are inexperienced and, in five years as an NFL head coach, Adam Gase has never led an offense that ranks in the top half of the league, per Pro Football Reference.

A fresh start with a new team could be enough for Darnold to truly reach his potential.

Conflicting reports have emerged Tuesday about Quinnen Williams' long-term future with the New York Jets.

The New York Daily News' Manish Mehta initially reported the Jets are exploring their options with Williams ahead of the Nov. 3 NFL trade deadline: "Although general manager Joe Douglas has repeatedly said that he's willing to take calls from any team, the Jets have been proactive in attempting to get more draft capital in exchange for the third overall pick of the 2019 draft."

However, the New York Post's Brian Costello reported shortly thereafter that New York is "not shopping" the 22-year-old defensive lineman. Rich Cimini of ESPN corroborated that report.

Trading Williams wouldn't be totally out of step with how the Jets have operated since Douglas took over in June 2019.

The team sent Leonard Williams to the New York Giants prior to last season's trade deadline and moved Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks in July. Douglas doesn't appear to have a ton of personal investment in young players he didn't draft.

Those two situations differ from that of Williams in that he's only in the second year of his rookie contract. Leonard Williams was due to hit free agency prior to his trade to the Giants, and Adams had a well-publicized breakdown with the front office over his next extension.

Even as the Jets sit winless after their first seven games, offloading Williams now wouldn't make a ton of sense. The former Alabama star has 27 total tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble in 2020. One could argue he hasn't dominated in the way New York might have expected after selecting him third overall in 2019, but it's tough to know how much of that is simply down to the sorry state of the team.

This could be a case of Douglas keeping all of his options open. If a team comes forward with a massive offer for Williams, then maybe he wouldn't be averse to a deal. But that isn't the same thing as shopping a player to interested suitors.

The New York Jets have struggled immensely this season, starting 0-6. So head coach Adam Gase is making some changes. 

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post and Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, Gase has relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.     

Gase, 42, was ostensibly hired based on his reputation for being an offensive guru. Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said in September that the head coach has a "brilliant offensive mind."

He earned that reputation with the Denver Broncos as the team's offensive coordinator between 2013-14, when the team finished first in scoring and yardage in his first season and second in points and fourth in yardage in his second campaign. 

But perhaps that had more to do with the brilliance of Peyton Manning than anything else. Since then as the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears (2015), head coach of the Miami Dolphins (2016-18) and head coach of the Jets (2019-present), Gase has never had a top-20 offense in yardage and has had exactly one top-20 offense in points (the 2017 Dolphins, who finished 17th). 

The 2020 Jets came into Sunday 32nd in scoring offense and 31st in yards. Suffice to say, the perception of Gase as a "brilliant offensive mind" doesn't seem to be shared outside of Johnson's offices.

As Costello noted, Gase has been the play-caller at every stop, though a change is something he's considered before. 

"I think for the last four years, I've toyed with the idea every once in a while," he said of giving up play-calling duties earlier in October. "I don't think I'm ever opposed to trying something to change things up. I'd say everything's on the table at this point."

Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams has been a bright spot for the struggling 0-6 New York Jets, and the team wants to ensure that his value is represented in any trade offers they consider ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Jets have been offered a second-round pick but are looking for more.

"GM Joe Douglas will consider anything, but for a player as highly regarded as Williams, it's more of a question of, 'How many second rounders?'" Rapoport wrote Sunday.  

Williams was drafted by the Jets out of Alabama with the third overall pick in 2019, but he has yet to live up to the hype. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie, starting nine of them, with just 2.5 sacks and 28 combined tackles. Through six games as a starter this season, he has added two sacks, but both of them came in the same game: Week 2's 31-13 beating at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, where he registered a season-high seven tackles to add to his total of 24.

The Athletic's Connor Hughes reported Thursday the Jets had not received calls "with anything serious" for Williams.

Rapoport also noted that the Jets, who have already made a number of moves in releasing Le'Veon Bell and dealing defensive tackle Steve McLendon to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defensive end Jordan Willis to the San Francisco 49ers, will not listen to offers for quarterback Sam Darnold, though the team may make a move involving him following this year's draft. 

New York Jets tight end Chris Herndon is reportedly "drawing interest from multiple teams" ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

He could be considered an option for the New England Patriots as they look to upgrade the passing attack, with receivers Adam Thielen, Willer Fuller and Breshad Perriman considered other possibilities.

Herndon has 13 catches for 98 yards in six games so far this season after injuries and suspension held him to just one game in 2019.

The 2018 fourth-round pick showed a lot of promise as a rookie with 39 catches for 502 yards and four scores, second on the team to Robby Anderson in each category.

He missed the first four games of 2019 after violating the league's substance-abuse policy, while a hamstring injury kept him out the next four games. He caught one pass before fracturing his ribs in Week 10 and was placed on injured reserve.

Returning to full strength in 2020 provided some excitement for the 24-year-old, but he hasn't connected well with either Sam Darnold or Joe Flacco at quarterback.

After an 0-6 start, the Jets can move any players with value on the trade market that will help return assets for a rebuild.

Meanwhile, Herndon represents a low risk with just a $917,381 cap hit for 2020 and $1.09 million mark for 2021 before hitting free agency, per Spotrac.

If the 6'4", 253-pound athlete can reach his potential in a new location, he could represent excellent trade value in the coming weeks.

The New York Jets' leadership group, including CEO Christopher Johnson and general manager Joe Douglas, reportedly doesn't want to fire head coach Adam Gase during the season.

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reported Friday there's a "real chance [Gase] will survive the season" despite the team's 0-6 record heading into Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.

"They really don't want to do it," a source told SNY. "They may have to, at some point. But they know a midseason coaching change doesn't change their situation. I think they're going to hold off as long as they can."

Gase was hired in January 2019. He led the Jets to a 7-9 record in his first season, but a 6-2 mark during the season's second half created optimism heading into 2020.

Any positive vibes have quickly faded during the six-game losing skid. The frustration level is increased by the fact this was the first year the AFC East had a wide-open feel in nearly two decades with Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots after six Super Bowl championships and 17 division titles.

Injuries have been a factor, with several key players, including Sam Darnold, missing time, but the Jets have been outscored 185-75 and lost every game by at least two scores.

Gase has shrugged off questions about his job security throughout the poor start to the campaign.

"No, I'm not even thinking about it," he told reporters after last week's 24-0 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Vacchiano noted the Jets understand they can't overhaul the entire coaching staff in the middle of the year, and a switch to an interim coach—with polarizing defensive coordinator Gregg Williams being the most likely choice—probably won't solve their problems.

"But [Williams is] a volatile personality and his thinly veiled shot at the offense last week reminded everyone of that," Vacchiano wrote. "The last thing the Jets would want is a coaching change that leads to more chaos."

So the Jets' brass would prefer to finish the season with Gase and review the situation in the offseason.

In addition, New York is only a couple losses from shifting its focus to next season, and getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft would be a major reward with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence the projected top prospect in next year's class.

"Tanking for Trevor" is mostly a fan-driven discussion, and no team of pro players is going to purposefully lose games so their potential replacements can be drafted high, but Lawrence represents the franchise-changing player the Jets desperately need.

Nose tackle Steve McLendon apparently knew he was headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he suited up for the New York Jets in Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Tampa Bay sent New York a 2022 sixth-round pick for McLendon and a 2023 seventh-round pick in a trade that was finalized Tuesday. However, the nose tackle told reporters Friday he found out about it before Sunday's contest and was informed there would be a car waiting for him following the game in Miami.

The veteran, who has been in the league since 2010, managed four tackles, although New York lost the game 24-0.

McLendon explained Friday why it was important to him to play Sunday with the Jets:

"I got the news on Saturday night a car would be waiting for me after the game Sunday to come to Tampa. And I was like, 'Okay.' Sunday morning, I woke up. I prayed. And I was like, 'It's one last ride.' I told my boys, I was like, 'It's one last ride together.' A lot of guys were saying like, 'Man, you're going to really play?' And I was like, 'This might be the last time I play with you in my career.'"

The trade is a welcome change for McLendon's playoff chances. New York is 0-6, while Tampa Bay is 4-2 and in first place in the NFC South with a team of playmakers that includes Tom Brady, Ronald Jones II, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

McLendon played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2010 through 2015 and the Jets from 2016 until this trade. He has 14 tackles this year after posting 36 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery last season.

Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who previously coached McLendon in New York, is thrilled to have him, telling reporters:

"They asked me, and yes, I stood on the table for him. We need depth down there. ... You rarely get through the season with the guys you have. It's a long season, he's a quality player, he can help us, if not now, then down the line (and) he was a good guy to get for us. Any time you can get a good player and a good person, you try to get him."

Bowles also praised his "energy" and "toughness" while adding he is a "great locker room guy."

McLendon is expected to help the Buccaneers replace Vita Vea, who is out for the season.

New York Jets head coach Adam Gase said Friday quarterback Sam Darnold is on track to return from a shoulder injury for Sunday's Week 7 game against the Buffalo Bills.

"Things trending in the right direction," Gase told reporters. "Barring any setbacks, we'll get him going this Sunday."

Darnold suffered the injury in the Jets' Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos. Veteran backup Joe Flacco started losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins as the team's record fell to 0-6.

The 23-year-old USC product had struggled before the health setback. He completed just 59.4 percent of his throws for 792 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. He added 117 rushing yards and one score on the ground.

Darnold ranked 29th out of 30 qualified QBs in ESPN's Total QBR (46.4) and received a lackluster 58.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

It's not entirely the quarterback's fault. The front office failed to surround him with enough playmakers, and several of those on the roster, including Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Chris Hogan and rookie Denzel Mims, have dealt with injuries of their own.

In addition, running back Le'Veon Bell made just two appearances because of injury before getting released last week. He quickly signed with the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. That's left 37-year-old Frank Gore to lead New York's rushing attack.

All of those offensive factors combined with the Jets' 20th-ranked defense has led to six straight losses. Adding to the disappointment is the wide-open nature of the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills (4-2) leading the way in the first year of the post-Tom Brady era for the New England Patriots.

Getting Darnold back should provide a boost to the team's offense, and the third-year quarterback basically faces a 10-game audition for his job.

If the Jets keep losing and end up with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will likely be the team's starter to open next season.