Things aren’t looking great for the New York Jets right now. Aaron Glenn and his squad are the only winless team heading into Week 8. There’s still no word on who’ll be under center against the Cincinnati Bengals. And on top of that, with the November 4 trade deadline fast approaching, one big question keeps circling the locker room: Who’s getting cut next?

The rumor mill is buzzing that Jermaine Johnson II will be the odd man out. And NFL reporter Connor Hughes just added another layer to it.

“I know that there have been ingoing and outgoing calls from Florham Park about Jermaine Johnson,” Hughes said. “This hasn’t just been teams calling the Jets; the Jets have also been calling people. I know that Jermaine Johnson is viewed around the league as a player that is available for the right price.

“I don’t know what the Jets are asking for Jermaine Johnson. The team that I touched base with, who had direct communication and discussions with the Jets, simply told me, ‘too high.’ That is what I was told. They were asking for too much, and it was too high of a pick, and they were not going to go there. A reasonable offer for Jermaine Johnson, I was told, is a third-round pick.”

Johnson has been a good pass rusher. According to Hughes’ report, the Jets are committed to trading him, but they’re asking too high a price. And it makes sense. Johnson has been one of the hottest names in the trade market and has been on almost everyone’s list.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen have him ranked No. 10 on their list of the top 25 trade candidates. Meanwhile, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that several teams are already keeping close tabs on the 26-year-old linebacker.

For now, Johnson remains under contract through the 2026 season, with the Jets having already picked up his fifth-year option on his rookie deal. Which naturally raises a question: Is Aaron Glenn’s defensive star actually interested in a trade? It seems unlikely, according to his latest social media post.

The 26-year-old LB recently took to his ‘X’ handle and shared a quote from the movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” that said, “I’m not leavin.'” Long story short: A couple of things seem clear now: The analysts and reporters alike believe that Glenn and the Jets are interested in trading Johnson. But the LB just switched the narrative through his social media post.

The Jets’ owner praised Aaron Glenn’s defense

Jets owner Woody Johnson recently spoke with reporters, sharing his thoughts on Aaron Glenn, Justin Fields, and the team’s defense. Johnson praised Glenn, saying he’s been a fan of the first-year head coach since 1996, and expressed confidence in his leadership. But in the same breath, he pointed a finger at Justin Fields for the team’s winless start.

Last but not least, the owner noted that the team’s defense is showing signs of improvement. “I just think defense, special teams are doing better,” Johnson said. “Defense is pretty good. If we could just complete a pass, it would look good. We got to complete some passes.”

Through seven weeks, the Jets’ defense has been decent, but nowhere near dominant enough to help them steal a win this season. They’re sitting 16th in total yards allowed per game (326.4) and a shaky 23rd against the run (129.3 yards/game). It’s a clear sign that stopping the ground game has been a major headache.

While they’re better vs. the pass than you might expect on surface-level results (9th best with 197.1 yards/game), it gets worse on the scoreboard. The Jets are giving up 26.1 points per game, ranking 26th in scoring defense, which pretty much explains their 0 in the win column. The only bright spot? Over the past two weeks, the defense has tightened up, allowing just 13 points in each of those matchups.

However, as promising as that sounds, it hasn’t changed the outcomes. Long story short: Aaron Glenn’s defensive unit looks good, as the owner pointed out. But it’s still a work in progress.