FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Daring Darren: From the final week of the preseason to the NFL trade deadline (Nov. 4), the Jets made more trades than any team in the NFL, according to transactions compiled by Spotrac.
General manager Darren Mougey executed eight deals. Two were headline-grabbing blockbusters (so long, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams). Most of them were unheralded trades that involved late-round pick swaps, which yielded seven new players on the roster -- five of whom are contributing and could factor into their future because they're all under team control for 2026 at cap-friendly prices.
None of these players will change the trajectory of the franchise -- the five first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 are supposed to do that -- but they can bolster the middle and bottom of the roster. A quick look:
John Metchie III, WR: He has two touchdowns in three games since arriving from the Philadelphia Eagles in the Michael Carter II trade, which is one more than his TD total from the first 36 games of his career. He's a smooth slot receiver with a strong work ethic. He arrives every day at 6 a.m. and catches 300 balls from the Jugs machine. He overcame leukemia and a torn ACL, so there's no doubt about his mental toughness.
"Success is in his future, no matter what he does, and I'm not surprised at the success he's having right now," coach Aaron Glenn said.
Contract status: Restricted free agent. It will cost a projected $3.5 million to retain at least first-refusal rights.
Adonai Mitchell, WR: The stats don't jump off the page in a positive way (three receptions, two drops), but the former Indianapolis Colts second-round pick -- acquired in the Gardner trade -- impresses with his ability to separate from defenders. The Jets view him as an ideal X receiver (split end), with the ability to beat press coverage on the back side. With Mitchell, Metchie and Garrett Wilson, the Jets have at least the framework of their 2026 receiving corps.
Contract status: Signed through 2027, with a $1.5 million cap charge in 2026.
Harrison Phillips, DT: He's making an impact on the field and in the locker room. Phillips leads the league's defensive tackles with 33 run stops, per Next Gen Stats. He quickly established himself as a team leader, a role that has expanded since Williams' departure. The Jets knew they were getting a proven run stuffer when they traded with the Minnesota Vikings in August; they wound up getting a lot more. Phillips, 29, can continue to be a first- and second-down player next season.
Contract status: Signed for 2026 at $7.5 million (non-guaranteed).
Jarvis Brownlee Jr., nickel: He's a "baby linebacker," according to Quincy Williams -- a nod to Brownlee's physical style. Sometimes he's too physical for his own good (team-high eight penalties), a continuation of his high penalty rate with the Tennessee Titans, but the Jets don't seem concerned. Brownlee, whose emergence made Carter expendable, is responsible for the Jets' only takeaway (forced fumble). That should count for something, right?
Contract status: Signed through 2027, with a $1.1 million cap charge in 2026.
Jowon Briggs, DT: This trade was an unheralded as unheralded gets. After all, we're talking about a 2024 seventh-round pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Briggs, who started the past two games at the 3-technique tackle position (Quinnen Williams' old spot), has been a pleasant surprise. He's second on the team in quarterback hits (six) and he's tied for second in sacks (three). The personnel department did a nice job of scouting his college and pro tape and projecting him into the Jets' system.
Contract status Exclusive-rights free agent.
The Jets also acquired defensive tackle Mazi Smith and cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor in trades, but they've been nonfactors. The only trade in which they didn't receive a player in return was defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi to the Kansas City Chiefs.
2. Always churning: All told, the Jets have 11 players who weren't on the roster at the start of training camp. It's an unusually high number, especially since they haven't had a ton of injuries. It's a deliberate attempt by Mougey to churn the bottom of the roster, essentially conducting in-season evaluations that could help with future roster construction.
3. On the same page: The Jets are 2-9, but Glenn has the support of owner Woody Johnson. So said Glenn, who believes his boss appreciates the big picture.
While frustrated with the record, Johnson has "an understanding [that] you have to build things a certain way to consistently win," Glenn said this week. "But that doesn't take away from the fact that he wants to win now, just like the same with me, just like anybody else on this team.
"So those conversations are always good conversations between me and him. They're always honest conversations. I'm not going to BS him, and he's not going to BS me."
Johnson last spoke to the media Oct. 21, when the Jets were 0-7. That day, he defended Glenn, essentially blaming the bad start on quarterback Justin Fields. Johnson, the owner since 2000, has exhibited patience in the past -- former coach Todd Bowles survived back-to-back five-win seasons -- but he almost certainly will want to see the team progress under Glenn in 2026. Of course, that could be mitigated if there's a rookie quarterback.
4. Is this the week? A total of 242 passes were intercepted in the first 12 weeks of the season -- and not one by the Jets' defense. The all-time record for most consecutive games without intercepting a pass is 14. The Jets are up to 11.
5. Backup bowl: The Jets' only two wins came against backup quarterbacks -- Joe Flacco (Cincinnati Bengals) and rookie Dillon Gabriel (Browns). They face another backup Sunday, as Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons visit MetLife Stadium.
Cousins' name is sure to come up in the offseason rumor mill, as the Jets probably will be in the market for a veteran quarterback. They made an unsuccessful free agent bid for him in 2018, eventually pivoting to the draft and Sam Darnold. Glenn called Cousins a "very smart quarterback."
6. Brick is back: Former Jets interim coach and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is back in town this weekend as the Falcons' DC. He was always a popular coach among the players, but he will be remembered for his disastrous 3-9 stint after replacing the fired Robert Saleh.
Ulbrich probably won't recognize his old unit. Only 10 of the 25 defensive players are holdovers from last season.
7. Looking out for No. 1: The Jets have a 13.6% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, per ESPN Analytics. They're behind the Titans (41.4%), Las Vegas Raiders (17.7%) and New Orleans Saints (15%). Like the Jets, the Raiders and Saints figure to be in the quarterback market, which makes things very interesting.
8. Mr. Perfect: In the past 20 years, only one kicker finished a season with a 100% success rate on field-goal attempts (minimum: 20 attempts) -- the Seattle Seahawks' Jason Myers in 2020 (24-for-24).
Nick Folk (20-for-20) has a chance to join Myers. So does current San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddie Pineiro (22-for-22), who, like Myers, is a former Jet.
Folk is on an incredible run, having made 70 of his last 72 over his past two-plus seasons.
9. Not a fan: Fields said there's been some discussion about using him in a Wildcat role, but he has "mixed feelings" about it. Going in cold, he said, creates the potential for a soft-tissue injury.
10. The last word: "I'm going to give you a line that you guys have heard before: We play the game to win." - Glenn, channeling Herm Edwards, on why winning is more important than draft position.