Jets would be willing to trade up for a QB, and can pull it off

There’s a chance that the New York Jets could be the quarterback-needy team that makes a splashy trade to move up in April.

We’re still months away from being anywhere close to understanding what this incoming NFL draft class will look like, let alone being able to accurately predict what the selections will be. As much uncertainty as there is, all signs seem to be pointing towards there being quarterback turnover unlike ever before in New York.

Both teams are expected to take quarterbacks in the draft, but that might be a little harder the Jets over the Giants. The latter has the luxury of picking second, whereas the Jets will either have to see what falls to them at No. 6 overall or trade up.

It’s sounding like they’re not going to twiddle their thumbs if they fall in love with a quarterback during workouts.

Let’s break down if this is something Jets need to do and if it’s even possible (and also worth it). The top of the draft order is set, and a brief mock draft has things shaking out thusly:

1. Cleveland Browns — Josh Rosen, QB/UCLA
2. New York Giants  — Sam Darnold, QB/USC
3. Indianapolis Colts — Mike McGlinchey, OT/Notre Dame
4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston) — Saquon Barkley, RB/Penn State
5. Denver Broncos — Baker Mayfield, QB/Oklahoma
6. New York Jets — Josh Allen, QB/Wyoming

What helps the Jets is that there are four top quarterbacks in this class, and only three quarterback-needy teams picking ahead of them. Indianapolis will stand pat with Andrew Luck for the time being and Cleveland isn’t picking a quarterback twice in the Top 5.

The Bucs, Bears, 49ers, and Raiders all pick after New York and don’t need quarterbacks so the threat of one of those teams using a Top 10 pick to move up is less than zero. Problems arise with Washington and Arizona, picking 13th and 15th overall respectively. Both of those teams could leap over the Jets and tempt Denver to not draft a quarterback at No. 5 overall.

A perfect storm for the Jets to move up is if they like Baker Mayfield or if any combination of Rosen, Mayfield, and Darnold are still on the board when Indianapolis goes on the clock. The Colts, unless they have their hearts set on Saquon Barkley, will be looking at one of the top three offensive linemen in the draft. They can get that guy at No. 6 overall if they swap picks with the Jets.

This is all way too early, but it sounds like we have our first big candidate for a trade up.