It was a crazy 48 hours leading up to the NFL trade deadline for the Jets, but the end result had many names floated on the trade market staying in the green and white for the rest of the season. Only Leonard Williams was traded away to the Giants in exchange for some draft capital.
Players like Jamal Adams, Le'Veon Bell, and Robby Anderson were reportedly names the Jets were taking calls on, with the most traction around Adams. But now that it's over, the Jets have to get their focus back on the Dolphins this week.
And that's exactly what head coach Adam Gase wants to do. The other stuff that transpired will be handled inside One Jets Drive.
"Anything as far as what's happened the past week, anything that we've been dealing with is going to be handled internally," Gase said in his opening remarks on Wednesday. "That's how we're going to handle things."
During the team meeting before the press conference, Gase said that his players "seem locked in, focused on doing everything they can to try and win a game this week." And going up against an 0-7 Miami team, they better.
The Jets should be able to return home with a win against the Dolphins, who could be in tank mode this season to secure a high draft pick and continue their rebuild.
"I need to make sure that we are ready to go for this game," he stated. "That's what I'm concerned about, that's what I'm worried about. My job is to get us ready for this game."
So, as the Jets look to clean things up in preparation for the Dolphins, here's what else Gase discussed on Wednesday...
Sam Darnold will wear a splint on his injured left thumb
It was revealed after the Jaguars game that Darnold suffered a sprained left thumb, and it was something he acknowledged as an ailment he'll play through during the week.
Gase said "I'm not sure" when asked if Darnold will need surgery on that thumb, but he noted the splint that he will wear during practice as well as the game will not affect him in any way. He also talked about what he needs to work on this week to bounce back from his performance down in Jacksonville.
"A lot of pocket movement-type things, alignment, making sure we're good with our timing. Ball location," he said. "I know him and the receivers have been spending a lot of time together ot get the details ironed out. And his operation with the offensive line is going to be a big deal for us this week."
Gase's return to Miami will "probably be weird"
Gase spent the past three seasons leading the Dolphins as their head coach, and it wasn't best tenure after going 23-25 over that span. He did lead them to the playoffs in 2016 after going 10-6, only to lose to the Steelers in the first round.
This is Gase's first time back in Miami, but he admitted he won't be worried about that too much. He needs to leave with a win.
"I think where we're at right now, I'm focused on us," he said. "To be honest with you, Sunday, I don't know how it's going to feel for me just because walking through the other tunnel it's probably going to be weird. But I know that we have enough to work on that I have to worry about us."
Le'Veon Bell's Instagram message doesn't surprise Gase
After the trade deadline passed, Bell went to his Instagram to deliver a professional, heartfelt message to Jets fans where he asked for some more patience, and promised the team was going to turn things around.
In his return to the NFL after sitting out a full season, Bell probably isn't seeing the numbers he likes. His offensive line hasn't helped in creating holes to run through, and teams are snuffing out any potential big gains so far in the first half. Gase even admitted, "I wanted to get him the ball more, he was just getting nowhere to go."
But that hasn't hurt Bell's spirit, as Gase consistently sees Bell come up to him during the game to say things like he did on Instagram.
"That's what he sounds like during a game," Gase said. "Any time he goes by me he'll just [say], 'Hey, stick with it. We're good.' The positivity that he has throughout a game is awesome. It's never a 'Hey, I need this' or 'I want this.'"