A few days ago, the New York Jets made a huge deal with the Indianapolis Colts ahead of the 2018 NFL draft.

The Jets, who had the number six pick, traded up the board three places to take the Colts number three spot. 

It cost New York multiple second-round picks too (including one in the 2019 draft) but puts them in prime position to draft a franchise quarterback. 

They're unlikely to take either Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb - but should look instead at Sam Darnold or Josh Allen, as well as Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield, who they could have taken from the sixth pick. 

However, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Colts were not the first team that Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan called about a potential trade.

Mehta suggests that Maccagnan gave the new Cleveland Browns GM, John Dorsey, a call first. 

Dorsey had already made it clear that the Browns would be open to trading their number one pick - and the Jets came calling.

Mehta does believe though, that the conversation would probably have been pretty short. To secure the number one pick, the Jets would have had to trade at least a future first-round pick in return. 

And that's something that they weren't willing to do - but have got themselves an even better deal with the colts. 

That deal was one achieved very quickly, according to CBS. It was made last Saturday and the swift trade may have had something to do with Kirk Cousins. 

The quarterback, who became a free agent following the 2017 season, has just moved from the Washington Redskins to the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Jets were hopeful of signing him too but weren't at all confident of doing so leading into the free agency. 

And, as they had feared, Cousins chose the Vikings, who reached the NFC championship game last season, as his next destination - forcing Maccagnan's hand. 

The deal is also good news for the Browns, who don't have to give up their first pick. Like the Jets, they could look to draft a franchise quarterback. 

Had they traded their pick for number 6, they would still have had the fourth pick too. But doing so would have risked a worst-case scenario.

Holding the fourth and six picks could have seen them miss out on both Saquon Barkley and Bradley Chubb - and possibly only draft a fourth choice quarterback. 

The deal they'd get in return, which included multiple second-round picks (which they already have) just wouldn't have been worth it.

Therefore, the Jets/Colts deal was probably best for all three teams.