Jets make deal with Colts, trade up for No. 3 pick

The New York Jets made a bold move on Saturday when they traded up three spots to get the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. It’s the first time since 1996 (when they picked Keyshawn Johnson, No. 1 overall) that they’ll be picking in the top three.

The team announced that it had completed a trade with the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 3 pick.

In return, the Jets will give the Colts the No. 6 overall pick and three second-round picks – the 37th and 49th overall picks in this year’s draft and one in 2019.

With the move, the Jets leapfrog both the Denver Broncos (No. 5) and the Cleveland Browns’ second pick (No. 4), potentially positioning themselves to take one of the quarterbacks in consideration for the top picks: USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen or Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield.

The division-rival Buffalo Bills also loomed as a team with the potential to move up the draft board after jumping to the No. 12 overall pick in an earlier trade with the Cincinnati Bengals, though Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team was not necessarily planning to do so.

Also last week, the Jets agreed to re-sign Josh McCown and also signed Teddy Bridgewater after losing out on Kirk Cousins. But both passers are on one-year deals.

In other NFL news, the New England Patriots signed freeagent defensive end Adrian Clayborn, running back Jeremy Hill and offensive lineman Matt Tobin and extended the contract of safety Patrick Chung.

Clayborn and Hill were expected to sign with the Patriots after reports leaked out earlier this week that they would head to the defending AFC champions. Clayborn, 29, recorded 30 sacks in seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. Hill, 25, rushed for 2,873 yards and 29 touchdowns in four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.