Did the Jets Try to Trade for the First Pick in the Draft?

The NFL Draft was turned on its head yesterday as the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire the top overall pick from the Tennessee Titans. The Rams gave up a huge haul. Tony Pauline reports the Rams were not the only team to try and make a big move. The Jets were also pushing hard to make a deal according to Pauline.

Sources close to the situation tell me the New York Jets made a serious offer to the Tennessee Titans for the initial pick of the draft. Those with knowledge of the situation tell me the team was close to getting the deal done.

I’m told it is believed veteran defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson was part of the deal.

And while many in the New York area dismissed my initial report earlier this week over the New York Jets being dark horses for trading to the top of the draft, it was revealed within 24 hours of the report that Jared Goff would be making an official visit to the franchise. Goff won’t be make it past the fourth pick of the draft.

Will the Jets continue to attempt to move up into the early reaches of round one? Sources tell me they believe so but much depends on who the Los Angeles Rams ultimately select with the first pick in two weeks time.

This is not a huge surprise. The careers of Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles are likely riding on finding and acquiring a top notch quarterback in the next year or two. If the Jets believe there is a franchise quarterback in the mix, there probably is no price too high to pay to get that guy.

If you do not believe me, one team's recent quarterback history tells the story. Four years ago, the Rams were praised getting a bounty of picks as Washington moved up to get Robert Griffin III. That deal clearly did not work out for Washington, but look where the Rams are today. For all the praise they got at the time, four years later they feel like they similarly had to give up a bounty to go get a quarterback.