Jets Trade Up to 3rd Overall Pick in Blockbuster Trade

The New York Jets are in desperate need for a quarterback.

Even with General Manager Mike Maccagnan spending $25 million combined on Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, the need for a franchise quarterback is painfully obvious for Gang Green, and the Jets quickly moved to mortgage draft picks to make it happen.

The Jets agreed to send the sixth overall pick and the 37th and 49th overall picks in the second round, and next year's second round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for the third overall pick in the this year's draft. In short the Jets gave up three second round picks to move up three spots in the first round.

It is a huge gamble, and it must pay off for the Jets.

There are plenty of signal callers to choose from, from Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield. All are considered top prospects, and all have plenty of red flags as well.

The question now is who will drop to the Jets? And, will that player fit what the Jets want?

Keep in mind these are the Jets we are talking about. This is a franchise that has defined and re-defined draft futility. They drafted Ken O'Brien over Dan Marino in 1983. Drafted Kyle Brady over Warren Sapp in 1995. Lost out on Brett Favre. Watched Peyton Manning reject them to stay in college. Drafted Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg in a period of eight years.

In addition, Mike Maccagnan's draft history hasn't been very good either since taking over as GM back in 2015.

So if you are a Jets fan, and are nervous with the thought the Jets have the third overall pick in the draft, nobody can blame you. The Jets don't inspire confidence.

Whom the Jets take could be predetermined by what the Cleveland Browns and the Giants do ahead of them. The Browns have long been linked to either Penn State running back Saquan Barkley or quarterbacks' Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. The Browns still have the fourth overall pick. Will the Browns feel pressured to take a quarterback first overall with the Jets two spots behind them? That is a legitimate question.

Behind the Browns are the Giants. The Giants could take Eli Manning's successor (i.e. Darnold, Allen or Josh Rosen) or they could take the safe pick and take Barkley (if he is still available) or Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson. A lot of experts believe the Giants are going to take Barkley or Nelson with the second pick. They could also trade the pick to a QB-needy team like the Bills.

Let's say this scenario plays out: the Browns draft Allen; the Giants draft Barkley, leaving the Jets to choose from Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen.

Rosen has a big arm, and is highly regarded as a passer by many scouts. In fact the Jets attended his pro-day this week. However, he is known as someone who is tough to coach, has a high opinion of himself, and, many have questioned his passion for the game. Is this the right guy for New York?

Darnold is the more polished quarterback in the eyes of many scouts. However he turned the ball over 20 times last season, and did not look like the quarterback who lit things up for USC during his freshman year in 2016. Oh, and he's from USC -- a school with a checkered history of bad quarterback play in the NFL.

Then again, the Browns could take either Darnold or Rosen, leaving the Jets to consider Josh Allen. Allen comes from a small school, Wyoming, and has drawn comparisons to Carson Wentz because of his big arm. However, the knock on Allen is that he is inaccurate, and never completed more than 56 percent of his passes in college.

Baker Mayfield at this point would be a waste of draft picks, considering the Jets didn't have to move from the sixth slot to draft him, if they want him. Plus Mayfield's small size and questionable on-field and off-field behavior should be an automatic turn-off.

The ball is now in the Jets court. They can't get this wrong ... right?