Yes, Jets GM Darren Mougey just outsmarted Howie Roseman
New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey has already shown a willingness and ability to make shrewd trades, and his most recent one just adds another feather to his GM cap.
On Wednesday, New York traded veteran slot cornerback Michael Carter II to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for wide receiver John Metchie III and a late-round pick swap. The Jets get a 2026 sixth-round pick while the Birds receive a seventh-round selection.
A move like this, just under a week before the trade deadline, may be seen as a throwaway to some fans and analysts. Others may argue that the Eagles emerged as victors in this deal.
But Carter’s durability, effectiveness, and the Jets’ overall needs highlight that this move is more about Mougey potentially pulling a fast one on Howie Roseman than anything else.
Don’t look now, but the Jets may have won the trade before it even gets finalized.
Why the Jets made the trade
As far back as the NFL Scouting Combine, it seemed that the Jets did not view Carter as part of their long-term plans. More of a zone slot cornerback, New York wanted to play more man going into 2025.
That has left Carter on an island of sorts and unable to play up to his usual high caliber.
Through the first eight games of the regular season (in which Carter has played in just five games), the veteran has given up a career-high 109.7 passer rating and eight catches for 156 yards. By trading him, the Jets saved around $2 million in cap space via Carter waiving his $5 million injury guarantee in 2026, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Here's how badly Michael Carter II wanted to join the champs: Sources say he agreed to delete the $5M guaranteed for injury in his 2026 contract year to complete the trade to the
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2025
After signing a three-year extension in 2024, Carter was seen as expendable the minute the Jets acquired Jarvis Brownlee Jr. in a trade with the Tennessee Titans earlier in the year.
What New York really needed, though, was a receiver.
Mougey drafted Arian Smith in the fourth round of the 2025 draft. While the rookie has gotten open, he hasn’t had many opportunities to make plays this season.
Outside of Garrett Wilson, New York doesn’t have a receiver who has stepped up as a dependable and consistent target in the passing attack. Hence, the team targeted Metchie, a second-round talent, as the primary return in the deal. He may have only had four receptions on the Eagles, but that was with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith controlling the targets.
Interestingly, things could not have turned closer to 180 degrees for Metchie. While he departs the Super Bowl champs for a 1-7 squad, he’s set to join an offense in desperate need of competency, which screams “plenty of targets.”
Mougey understands that Metchie is not the saving grace for New York’s passing attack. He’s a young player and a restricted free agent after this season, meaning the Jets could expect him back in 2026.
Why the Eagles made the trade
Philadelphia has been desperate for corner help all season. After releasing Darius Slay in the offseason, the Eagles have received subpar contributions from Kelee Ringo or Adoree’ Jackson.
That has forced their top slot cornerback, Cooper DeJean, to play more on the outside. The trade of Carter allows Philadelphia to do so without sacrificing the nickel spot.
The move is interesting, however, for the very real fact that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has spoken consistently about wanting to keep DeJean in the slot.
Here was his answer to that very question on Tuesday, per the Eagles’ communications department:
“When you have one of the better players at a certain position, and it’s an important position where you get involved more, you hate to take a really good player at one position to maybe not be as good a player—or (as) impactful a player—at another position. But it’s definitely something we’ve talked about.”
The trade for Carter, though, shows that it seems Philadelphia is more than comfortable moving their former second-round pick to the outside as much as they possibly can going forward.
Verdict: Mougey wins convincingly
This was somewhat of a shocking trade for the Eagles, more so than for Mougey and the Jets. The arrival and brilliance of Brownlee’s play over the last few weeks made Carter expendable. Getting out of the contract as quickly as possible was going to be Mougey’s plan all along.
For Philadelphia, though, trading away a player who has struggled to stay healthy and be effective over the last few seasons is a massive gamble. They gave away little in the form of Metchie, but the Eagles’ problems aren’t going away purely due to Carter’s arrival.
The Jets, meanwhile, just acquired a young, controllable receiver through the 2026 season. Metchie may not become anything significant, but he’s the cheap yet potential-filled player savvy general managers seek.
Mougey has done a great job all year with finding trades that benefit the team in the short and long term. Deals for Brownlee, Jowon Briggs, and Harrison Phillips are prime examples.
Identifying and executing a deal for a young player who fills a desperate need for his offense, while relenting a struggling veteran they were going to cut in a few months, is a smart move. He understood Roseman’s desperation to win another Super Bowl and used it to his advantage.
The trade of Michael Carter II is an excellent win for the New York Jets, Aaron Glenn, and the team’s general manager. It may seem shocking to some, but Darren Mougey may have gotten the better of arguably the best executive in the modern NFL.
The Raiders' Handling of Jakobi Meyers Has Caused a Stir
The Las Vegas Raiders must figure out what, if anything, to do with their top wide receiver, Jakobi Meyers.
Raiders Fumble Meyers Situation
Meyers requested a trade shortly before the season, but the Raiders turned him down. He restated the same desire heading into the Bye Week. Now, the Raiders have less than a week to decide. Raiders legend Lincoln Kennedy is not fond of how the Raiders have handled the whole thing.
“The situation with Jakobi is mishandled in many ways, because if they could have found a way to make it work, here is a receiver who’s already established himself as a receiver and can grow into this offense and be more productive if allowed,” Kennedy said on the Locked On Raiders podcast.
“We’ve seen flashes of it. We haven’t seen consistency, but we saw flashes of it… If we’re going to part ways with him, we’re really starting over again, and this goes back to my original point that I’ve been saying all year. You can’t keep starting over. You can’t keep starting over with new coaches and new players and expect to get anywhere because it just doesn’t happen overnight. You don’t walk onto the field and be like, ‘Oh, there’s my new number one.
“Because this offense hasn’t been consistent throughout the season, we’re still left holding whatever we’re holding in our hands, hoping that we can grip on and maybe get a win or get a collective offense. I don’t know how it happens overnight. That’s why I said this whole Jakobi Meyers thing has just been handled, really handled not well, in my opinion.”
The Raiders must make a decision soon on Meyers' future with the team as the trade deadline is fast approaching. Whether they keep Meyers or not, the addition of veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett should help compensate for the loss of Meyers.
If the Raiders keep Meyers past the deadline, they will then have him, Lockett, and a healthier Brock Bowers in the mix moving forward. Still, Carroll noted it is too soon to make any assumptions.
"I'm going to need more days, as far as immediately, how much he can help. But he's a tremendous football player. He's got great background, great savvy play-making ability, a real natural sense about understanding how to play the game,” Carroll said.
“He and Brock [Bowers] and Jakobi [Meyers] share a lot of characteristics in how they play the game and how they make things happen and make it look effortless at times. And so, [Tyler] Lockett has been a great performer historically, and I'm thrilled to have him part of the program. I want to see how fast we can move the thing along, see if he can contribute."
