Head Coach Aaron Glenn Says Jets Will ‘Stand Pat’ At Trade Deadline

Aaron Glenn is expecting the struggling New York Jets’ roster to look much the same after the NFL’s trade deadline as it does today. No headline-making moves like a year ago, even with the Jets sitting at 2-7, on a four-game skid and inching closer to missing the playoffs for the 16th straight year. “Well, never say never, but right now, I know we’re going to stand pat,” the embattled coach said Monday. “We’re in the business of keeping good players and that’s how I see it.” That’s even after edge rusher Will McDonald IV requested a trade amid frustration over a diminished role in the Jets’ defense under Glenn. The 16th pick in the 2023 NFL draft — by the team’s previous regime — has just three sacks this season and has become more of a situational player than a regular contributor. McDonald, who had a career-high 10 1/2 sacks in 2024, is a speedy and athletic player at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds but is considered a bit undersized on a defensive line that favors bigger, powerful edge rushers such as rookie David Bailey and veterans Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai. Still, Glenn insists there’s a role for McDonald in New York. “Will’s going to be here,” Glenn said, adding that he and McDonald have a good relationship and had “a really good conversation” last week. “He’s a good player and I still believe that, and we’re going to continue to try to put him in position to go make plays for us.” Last year, general manager Darren Mougey made the stunning deadline trades of star cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams to Dallas, acquiring three first-round picks, a second-rounder and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell as part of the haul. “Never say never because you never know what’s going to happen,” Glenn said. “So, me and Mouge continue to talk about these things and we’ll see how it goes.” New York did make a move a day ahead of the deadline, which is Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST, sending backup safety Andre Cisco to Detroit for a sixth-round pick in the 2028 draft, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the deal. Cisco, a starter last year in his first season with the Jets, played no snaps on defense Sunday as Malachi Moore took over as the third safety. Cisco re-signed with New York on a one-year, $2.5 million deal in the offseason. One major thing that could change for the Jets is how Glenn operates on game days. He took over defensive play-calling duties this season, with coordinator Brian Duker helping him oversee the unit. Glenn recently acknowledged the difficulty in balancing being in charge of the entire team while also running the defense. The Jets have struggled on defense the past few games, with the unit’s inability to get off the field in crucial situations costing New York some potential victories. “Listen, we have not played really good defense the last couple of weeks and I am very aware of that,” Glenn said while also pointing out that the unit has had some good moments earlier in the season. But Glenn seemed to be open to possibly switching things up. “I’m looking at everything and I’m looking at ways for us to improve,” he said. “And whatever that is for us to get better, you can best believe I’ll make those changes. I think I’ve done that throughout my career to be able to do that, is I’m not afraid to make a change. “I’m not saying that is going to be the change, but I’m looking at everything.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.