NFL trade deadline: New York Jets trade star cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive end Quinnen Williams

The New York Jets have agreed to trade star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round draft picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, according to reports.

The Jets will receive the Colts' first-round selection in 2026 and in 2027, a source with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

NFL Network and ESPN first reported the stunning deal, which came less than three hours before the NFL's trade deadline and sends one of the Jets' most popular and accomplished players to the Colts.

Gardner, an All-Pro selection in his first two seasons, signed a four-year, $120.4m contract extension with the Jets in July.

"New York it's been real," Gardner posted with a green heart emoji on X.

Gardner was the No 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Cincinnati and quickly established himself as one of the league's top cornerbacks during his first two seasons with the Jets.

He had a slightly down year, by his standards, last season and was excited to play for new coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

"I know I'm not perfect," Gardner said in June. "But the fact that he's [Wilks] trying to get perfection out of me is what I need."

The Jets rewarded Gardner with the big extension in July that made him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback.

Glenn said on Monday that Gardner was among three players who were completing the concussion protocol coming out of the Jets' bye-week break and was expected to return to practice this week.

The Jets are also losing star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in a major move to the Dallas Cowboys as they try to improve one of the NFL's worst defenses.

The Cowboys are giving New York a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2026 second-rounder and underperforming defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

Linebacker Logan Wilson was also acquired by the Cowboys from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick on Tuesday.

Hours before the Cowboys lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night to fall to 3-5-1, Jones said the team had a deal in place to add a player who could improve the defense.

Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers goes to Jacksonville from Las Vegas for draft picks in the fourth and sixth rounds, according to a source of The Associated Press.