Jets acquire Browns’ No. 5 pick to take QB Sanchez
NFL.com Staff | Tags: 2009 NFL Draft, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
The Browns dealt the No. 5 overall draft pick to the Jets, who moved up to take QB Mark Sanchez. The former USC signal-caller shot up draft boards and is considered by some to be the top quarterback in the draft.
The Jets paid a high price to move up, handing former coach Eric Mangini a couple of starters from his old defense. Going to the Browns are DE Kenyon Coleman, DB Abram Elam, QB Brett Ratliff, a first-round pick (17th overall) and a second-round pick (52nd).
NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi called it a great move for the Jets because Sanchez gives the team a franchise quarterback to build around.
“All of the players that they gave up are replaceable and not going to make a difference down the road,” Lombardi said. “All they really gave up was a second-round pick, which again, is replaceable.”
Sanchez likely will have a chance to start because there isn’t a legitimate No. 1 starting QB in New York. But would Sanchez have been better off going at No. 4 to Seattle, where he could have learned under starter Matt Hasselbeck?
“One of the great advantages is that [Jets coach] Rex Ryan was in Baltimore last year and saw what you have to do with a rookie quarterback [Joe Flacco],” Lombardi said. “I expect the Jets to use the defense and a strong running game to help move him along.”
Not unlike Sanchez’s situation at USC last season.


