After the quarterbacks performed at the NFL Combine on Saturday, March 1, the New York Jets and Giants have been linked with trading up to the first overall pick, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.
For either team to pull off a trade with the Tennessee Titans for the No. 1 selection, it would cost a king’s ransom. For the Giants, it would cost a little less, considering the Titans would only be trading down two spots, compared to where the Jets pick at No. 7.
Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers traded D.J. Moore, pick No. 9, second-round pick No. 61, their 2024 first-round pick that ended up being the No. 1 overall pick, and a 2025 second-round pick for the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 overall pick that season.
Carolina believed that Bryce Young would take them to the promised land, so a trade with that many assets in exchange for what they believed as their franchise quarterback, was worth it.
It’s possible that the Jets are just exploring all of their options. They might love Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, or even Jaxson Dart and believe they need to trade all the way up with the Titans to find their guy. Then again, it is smokescreen season and while everybody thinks they know how the draft will shake out, nobody really knows.
The Giants are a realistic trade partner for Tennessee. Owner Jon Mara needs to see improvement sooner rather than later with general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
“It better not take too long, because I’ve just about run out of patience,” Mara said Jan. 6.
Daboll and Schoen need to get a lot right to keep their jobs – that’s why they were interested in Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who ultimately stayed put.
Gang Green is in a different situation than Big Blue. The Jets have the luxury of waiting another season for their franchise quarterback, if they decide they’re not interested in any of the prospects in this year’s class. The Giants on the other hand, need to take a legitimate step forward to save jobs. They’ll try to reach the playoffs by any means necessary, even if that means bringing in Aaron Rodgers, who showed interest in them this past week.
