Jets in a position of power after trades shake up 2021 NFL draft
The landscape of the 2021 NFL draft changed drastically Friday, as the 49ers sent three first-round picks to the Dolphins in exchange for the No. 3 overall pick — placing San Francisco in prime position to land its next potential franchise quarterback.
The prime draft capital the 49ers parted ways with to move up nine spots in the pecking order all but guarantees Kyle Shanahan and company are eyeing their future signal-caller. Teams don’t dump three first-round selections to draft a skill position player or lineman. Even with San Francisco looking to keep Jimmy Garoppolo — the kind of statement that has been proven empty time and time again in the NFL — the direction it is going with the third pick is clear cut.
The Jets now find themselves in a position of power in the No. 2 slot. It’s looking increasingly likely that New York moves on from Sam Darnold — even with his trade market drying up — and takes its chances on BYU’s Zach Wilson, who thoroughly impressed at his Pro Day. But nobody knows for sure what Joe Douglas, Mike LaFleur and Robert Saleh are thinking.
That opens the door for some craziness to ensue.
Any team that wants to land one of this year’s elite quarterback prospects will now have to go through the Jets. It’s tough to see any scenario in which the Jaguars trade down and pass on Trevor Lawrence. The 49ers aren’t going anywhere after all they gave up to get the No. 3 pick, either. That leaves New York as the only saving grace for a quarterback-needy team in desperate need of a young signal-caller.
A team like the Falcons, Panthers or Broncos could stand pat in their current position and select from the second-tier of quarterback prospects. That’s where things get dicey, though, as there is a sizeable drop-off after Lawrence, Wilson and Fields. Those three aren’t guaranteed to succeed in the NFL, but they are head and shoulders above the Trey Lances and Mac Jones of the world.
The Jets might love Wilson after what they saw at his Pro Day, but Douglas is known to be open to any and all trade offers. If a team comes in with an offer that knocks New York’s socks off, Douglas will likely bite, regardless of his hypothetical affinity for Wilson or Fields. Rolling with Darnold for another year might not be the most attractive option among the brass at One Jets Drive, but if Douglas is presented with a trade that offers a return even more lucrative than what Miami just received, giving the embattled 23-year-old another year isn’t necessarily a bad call.
It’s entirely possible that New York is set on selecting Wilson at No. 2 and that is that. Either way, Douglas and the Jets now hold all the cards on the quarterback market. All negotiations for an incoming rookie quarterback now run through Florham Park.
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