NFL general managers rarely work in absolutes, always giving themselves a backdoor should a situation unexpectedly turn on a dime.
New York Jets GM Darren Mougey provided about as honest an answer as you'll hear when asked whether he'll reach out to his friend, Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek, about potentially trading for the No. 1 overall pick and the right to draft quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
"Absolutely, we'll talk about all those things, but I don't think that's happening," Mougey said, chuckling last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, .
Mougey and Spytek worked together as scouts with the Denver Broncos (2013-15), but even that friendship wouldn't jumpstart a trade. Spytek has said he'll listen to offers for the No. 1 overall pick, as any good GM would. Given the Jets' trove of draft picks and the fact that Vegas would move down a single spot, if he were to seriously consider the move, Gang Green would be the frontrunners. Mougey's response indicates what everyone already knows: Spytek is selecting Mendoza. At the very least, the Jets GM's answer underscores that he wouldn't pay whatever exorbitant price it would take to get Spytek to move off the pick.
The Jets need a long-term solution at quarterback. Unfortunately, the belief leading up to the draft is that there is only one worthy of a top-10 pick: Mendoza. New York's trade of Jermaine Johnson II last week paints a bright line to Gang Green using their No. 2 overall pick on an edge defender, which is now a glaring need.
