Adam Gase on Jets Selling at Deadline: 'That's What Happens When You Don't Win'
After starting the season with eight consecutive losses, Jets head coach Adam Gase isn't surprised the organization is selling ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
"That's what happens when you don't win," Gase said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. "We're at a part of the season right now where we haven't won a game yet. Things like this happen."
Even though New York has already shipped off a handful of key contributors leading up to Tuesday's deadline, Gase isn't "waving a white flag" on this season just yet. His focus is still on winning and competing each time out.
"That's not in my DNA," he said. "This is our profession. When things like this happen, guys aren't ever going to be shocked by this. We're in a profession [where] we've got to win games. When we don't, then things change and younger guys get opportunities to play."
Trading veterans on expiring contracts after starting a season 0-8 makes sense, but also makes winning for the rest of this year tougher. General manager Joe Douglas dealt Avery Williamson, Steve McLendon and Jordan Willis in the days and weeks leading up to the deadline. No moves were made on Tuesday.
Williamson was coming off a team-leading nine-tackle performance in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. Sending the linebacker with a 2022 seventh-rounder to the undefeated Steelers, New York received a 2022 fifth-round pick from Pittsburgh.
READ: Jets Trade Avery Williamson to Steelers
To Gase, it's "not ideal" to say goodbye to assets like Williamson, but stockpiling future draft picks during times like these are a must.
"There's reasons behind every move that we make," Gase explained. "I felt like [dealing Williamson] was something where an opportunity presented itself. Sometimes with how we've accumulated picks for the next few drafts, we haven't won a game yet. When we have guys that other teams see value in, and we're able to get draft picks due to it. I know it's not always ideal, but I mean that's the NFL. That's what it is."
Another defender on an expiring contract, safety Marcus Maye is doing his best to block out the noise and go about his days as he normally would.
"You don't want to see guys leave but it's part of the business," Maye told reporters on Monday. "I mean you just got to take it for what it is. You gotta control what you can control. That's just about it."
Same goes for linebacker Jordan Jenkins.
"I really don't think nothing of it. It's a business decision," the linebacker said of Williamson being moved. "Whatever happens, happens."
Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), on Facebook (also @MaxTGoodman) and be sure to bookmark JetsCountry and check back daily for news, analysis and more going forward.
