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The Cleveland Browns are still safe to choose whoever they want in the 2018 NFL Draft with the No. 1 overall pick. But now, if there is a quarterback they really want, there is greater risk to hoping that player drops to No. 4 overall. Why? Because a team just moved ahead of them.
On Saturday, the New York Jets traded up from the No. 6 pick to the No. 3 pick, one spot ahead of Cleveland. Presumably, the Jets moved up to get in front of Cleveland, perhaps as insurance to make sure a different team didn’t trade up with either Cleveland or Indianapolis to select a quarterback they are interested in. In exchange, the Jets paid a very hefty price just to move up three spots:
Pleasure doing business with you, @nyjets! pic.twitter.com/oAgpEudDWj
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 17, 2018
This also gives the Browns a lot more incentive to draft a quarterback at No. 1 and feel like they can get the best available non-quarterback at No. 4 overall, whether that be RB Saquon Barkley, CB Minkah Fitzpatrick, DE Bradley Chubb, or someone else. Or, another team might covet one of those players a lot and trade up to Cleveland for a lucrative package.
What do you think this trade means, reading between the lines? Let us know in the comments below.