After Sunday’s brutal loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Jets are 2-7 and less than 36 hours away from the NFL’s trade deadline. If you couldn’t guess, they are most likely to be sellers rather than buyers.
That said, the Jets shouldn’t sell off everyone for anything. That’s nonsensical.
However, the team should be most willing to move these two veterans ahead of Tuesday’s deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
Nahshon Wright, CB
When the Jets signed Nahshon Wright to a one-year, $3.5 million contract this offseason, it made a lot of sense. It was a low-risk deal for a player who led his position in interceptions with five, which was five more than the Jets had in 2025.
Obviously, there is more reason as to why he didn’t get more value on the open market. He is a very volatile player, especially in coverage. Last season with the Chicago Bears, he allowed 725 yards and seven touchdowns on throws in his direction while also committing seven penalties.
This season with the Jets, though, he hasn’t even touched the field for a single defensive snap. Azareye’h Thomas and Brandon Stephens have held down both of the Jets’ boundary CB spots, making it hard for him to get on the field. Not only hasn’t he played on defense, but he has also only appeared on special teams in three of the Jets’ nine games this season.
There is obviously more to why he hasn’t played a snap on defense than his volatility as a player. First off, he missed a fair chunk of the summer due to a hip injury, which certainly didn’t help his case as a first-year player in an already competitive position room.
Beyond that, though, he can’t play in the slot and doesn’t offer much special teams experience, which has led to players like Qwan’tez Stiggers and Jordan Clark dressing over him this season. If he’s not getting in at outside CB, he doesn’t have much of a role. He’s a very limited player.
Wright hasn’t shied away from airing out his thoughts on his role, or lack thereof, this season. He told ESPN’s Rich Cimini that he is “definitely frustrated” by having no role on defense. Wright added that he hasn’t formally requested a trade, but he’s “expressed his feelings” to the organization.
If the Jets get any offer for Wright, they should strongly consider moving him. He is on an expiring contract, and it’s clear that a return next season is pretty much out of the picture, particularly given his “frustration” without a role. It makes sense to at least get something in return, rather than parting ways for no compensation in the offseason.
Harrison Phillips, DT
Harrison Phillips’ situation is very different from Wright’s.
After being acquired in August 2025, he delivered a strong campaign last season as a reliable run-stopper while also emerging as a key defensive leader. This year, though, his production has told a much different story. Phillips has struggled to make an impact in both phases.
Fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. has emerged as a much more reliable player in a smaller sample size. Phillips is taking significant snaps away from one of the Jets’ young players, who has shown encouragement at a point when the team is 2-7. He’s also doing that without producing at a consistent level.
At this point, there’s little benefit to keeping Phillips on the team aside from his leadership. When discussing a potential trade, his contract is also an interesting component. Currently on an expiring deal, he has a $7.5 million cap hit this season. If he were traded at the deadline, the acquiring team would pay $3.4 million in base salary, plus a prorated portion of his weekly workout/roster structures.
The bonus for the acquiring team, though, is that he has no guaranteed salary or dead money attached to his contract after this season. So, a couple of contending teams who need a backup veteran DT with a run-stopping background might point to Phillips’ track record and look to make a move.
T’Vondre Sweat is now on injured reserve, so trading Phillips would leave the Jets’ DT room a little thin, but they could always look to acquire a younger player with more upside at the deadline, whether it’s in the deal that ships Phillips off or a separate package.
Currently, the Jets are best served giving Darrell Jackson Jr. and Jowon Briggs their primary DT snaps. New York should figure out what the fourth-round rookie could offer beyond this season. Meanwhile, Briggs has come down to earth this season after a breakout campaign a year ago. What is his true value, though? Could he have a rotational role in the future? Those are questions the 2-7 Jets should be trying to answer.
Trade deadline day is a guessing game. Nobody really knows who will get dealt or retained; just think back to the Sauce Gardner deal last year. However, if the Jets are looking to sell off some veterans, Wright and Phillips should be at the top of the list.
