The New York Jets now find themselves in prime position to land a franchise quarterback following Saturday’s trade with the Indianapolis Colts. We can debate the merits of New York yielding three second-round picks in a move up from the sixth pick to No. 3 overall all we want. Heck, this one scribe thinks the price might have been too steep. That’s fine. The deal went down, and the entire landscape of the draft itself has changed.
Speaking of that, a report from Manish Mehta of The NY Daily News now indicates that New York actually had discussions with the Cleveland Browns about moving all the way up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“The deal happened fast because the Jets, who also inquired about trading up with the Browns for the No. 1 overall pick, according to sources, were prepared. The groundwork set in Mobile in January gave them a good starting point in discussions after (Kirk) Cousins was no longer an option,” Mehta reported.
In reality, this might have made more sense than moving up to the third pick. With the Browns and New York Giants selecting first and second respectively, there’s no telling whether the quarterback GM Mike Maccagnan and Co. covet will be there at three.
A move up to No. 1 simply might have costed New York much more than it was willing to give up. Heck, there’s no indication that the Browns themselves are seriously considering moving the first pick. Sure first-year general manager John Dorsey said they’re open for business. But what else is he going to say in this situation?
It will definitely be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out prior to the draft next month. But this latest trade pretty much shakes up the entire foundation of the first round.