NFL Draft Trade Proposal: Jets Get Kyler Murray For Zach Wilson, Picks

In this wild mock draft from ESPN's Bill Barnwell, the Jets would acquire Kyler Murray from the Cardinals in exchange for Zach Wilson and multiple first-round picks.

It's that time of year again.

Each spring, as the NFL draft approaches, ESPN's Bill Barnwell puts together a mock draft where every single pick in the first round has a trade.

That's right. All 32 picks feature some sort of transaction, whether it's just an exchange of draft capital or a deal involving both picks and players. 

Barnwell admits in this piece that he would be surprised if any of these deals actually came to a fruition, so take that with a grain of salt as you read ahead. These aren't necessarily predictions of what will happen later this month. It's more a fun exercise where each trade, from pick to pick, exists in its own universe. You have to appreciate the creativity and time it took to put together.

Of all the organizations that make blockbuster moves in this hypothetical, the Jets are among the most active. New York makes a total of four trades in the first round, parting ways with both their first-rounders while acquiring two different first-round picks in the process.

The biggest deal of the bunch for New York involves the No. 10 pick and the Arizona Cardinals. 

Here's the trade, with Barnwell's analysis. Then, we'll quickly highlight the other moves New York makes in this mock before diving into the deal involving both team's franchise quarterbacks.  

Jets Land Kyler Murray in ESPN Mock Draft With All Trades

In this wild mock draft from ESPN's Bill Barnwell, the Jets and Cardinals swap quarterbacks in a trade involving the No. 10 overall pick, one of four hypothetical deals for New York in the first round.

Trade Proposal

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jets get: 2023 fourth-round pick, QB Kyler Murray

Cardinals get: 1-10, 3-69, 2023 first-round pick, QB Zach Wilson

Analysis From Barnwell

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

By Jets standards, though, Murray might as well be Joe Namath. It's way too early to draw any final conclusions about Wilson, but in this scenario, they would jump the line to upgrade under center. It would take some cap massaging to get this deal done, but the Jets would send their young quarterback and two first-round picks to the Cardinals to lock in one of the league's most exciting players. Crucially, they would be able to hold on to the No. 4 pick in this year's draft.

If the Cardinals had to deal Murray, this would be about a fair haul. Two first-round picks is a good start, especially given that the Jets might send another top-10 pick back to the Cardinals in 2023. Wilson was the No. 2 overall pick a year ago, and while he wasn't anything exciting as a rookie, he would have a higher grade than anybody in the 2022 class. Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury would be starting over with a promising quarterback prospect and two extra first-round picks. I'd rather have Murray, but if the Cardinals have had enough, this would be the alternative.

To read the rest of Barnwell's mock draft on ESPN, click here.

Other Trades For Jets In This First Round Mock

Jets trade for No. 1 overall pick

Jaguars get: 1-4, 1-10, 2-38, 5-146
Jets get: 1-1, 2-33, WR Laviska Shenault Jr.

Jets, Seahawks swap receivers, first-round picks

Jets get: 1-9, 3-72, WR DK Metcalf
Seahawks get: 1-4, 2-35, 3-69, WR Corey Davis

Jets add late first-rounder

Titans get: 2-38, 3-69
Jets get: 1-26, 4-143

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Now that is a trade proposal.

The Jets send their unproven quarterback Zach Wilson to Arizona along with the No. 10 overall pick and a future first-rounder in exchange for former first-overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray.

This deal would certainly erase a big question mark for the Jets. Everything this organization has done to improve this offseason hinges upon the development of Wilson. Enter a quarterback that's thrown for 3,700-plus yards and 20-plus touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons.

If Wilson can't figure it out in green and white, even after general manager Joe Douglas and his staff surround him with weapons and bolster New York's defense, it'll put this franchise in a tough spot. The Jets believe in their young gunslinger, and he showed some promise in the second half of his rookie season, but Murray is a proven commodity and one of the most exciting players at his position in the sport.

Would the former baseball star take the Jets to the postseason right away? Is he the missing piece to this playoff puzzle? Or is Wilson's ceiling higher and are the Jets being impatient with their new signal-caller in this hypothetical scenario? 

That's up for you to decide. 

Murray tweeted on Thursday that "AZ is home" and he wants to win championships with the Cardinals. Arizona's Steve Keim also halted some speculation, saying that there's "zero chance" they trade Murray.

In other words, Murray isn't going anywhere. Besides, the Jets aren't in the market for a change at quarterback. 

Either way, it's fun to speculate this time of year and predict what kind of packages certain players would net in return.

That's what Barnwell did last year in his proposal that sent former Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson to the Jets in exchange for a package including the second overall pick, the selection New York ended up using on the BYU product.

In that hypothetical, New York sent three first-rounders to Seattle for Wilson. In real life, the Broncos acquired Wilson for two firsts and two seconds, along with multiple players.

MORE:

• Why No Team Is Better Equipped For Deebo Samuel Trade Than Jets
• Three Trade Proposals For Jets to Acquire San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel
• Jets in Position to Pounce as Deebo Samuel Requests Trade From 49ers

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