New England Patriots: Division rival makes big trade in NFL Draft

The New England Patriots might see one of their division rivals land a top quarterback prospect, as the New York Jets have moved up in the 2018 NFL Draft.

One of the biggest advantages for the New England Patriots over their divisional opponents has been who they have under center. Since Tom Brady has been the quarterback for New England, they have controlled the AFC East, and that is no coincidence.

In the NFL, having a great quarterback gives you a chance to win every game and the chance to beat any team. As the league moves more and more toward a high scoring passing attack, having a good quarterback under center is key.

In the AFC East, having good quarterback play has been a problem for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Miami Dolphins. Recently, the Jets have made a big move to try and solve their problem at quarterback, as they have moved up in the NFL Draft.

The Jets paid a hefty price in a deal with the Colts to move up three spots in the first round, as they swapped first round picks and then sent two second round picks this season and one next season.

While the price might seem high, this does guarantee that the Jets will be able to choose one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, and this is something that they need. For years now, the Jets have struggled at the quarterback position, and it has hurt the franchise.

Now, the Jets will have the opportunity to select one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft, which they hope will turn into their franchise quarterback. Seeing the Jets make this move is certainly proactive, as teams like the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, or Denver Broncos could have been looking to move up to where the Colts were drafting.

With the Jets moving up, we very well could see three quarterbacks taken with the first three picks. However, the Giants could look to move down if the price is right considering they do still have Eli Manning.

Next: What's next for the Patriots in free agency?

While the Jets are still way behind the Patriots, this move could be one that will help them for years to come. Finding a franchise quarterback is hard to do, however, the Jets have taken a big step forward to finding one.