The New York Jets made the biggest splash of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, trading two key pieces from their once-great defense and diving headfirst into yet another rebuild.

In trading former All-Pros Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, the Jets effectively pulled the plug on a defense that allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL just last season. While losing two players of such caliber will sting for Jets fans, they should take comfort in the fact that they received a huge haul of compensation to help turn their sinking ship around.

Where the Jets stand after their eye-opening fire sale

Gardner, a two-time first-team All-Pro, is less than four months removed from agreeing to a four-year, $120.4 million extension with the Jets, but had seen his play drop considerably under h

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