The NFL draft is not for another 40 days, but the Jets have already made a big splash with a blockbuster St. Patrick’s Day trade.

Gang Green moved up three spots in the first round Saturday, acquiring the No. 3 pick from the Colts in return for the Jets’ first-round pick this year (No. 6 overall), two second-round picks this year (37th, 49th overall) and their 2019 second-round pick.

The Jets entered this offseason knowing they had to find a long-term quarterback. They tried to land top free agent Kirk Cousins, but were rebuffed. Once Cousins chose the Vikings, the Jets moved onto Plan B, signing veteran stop-gaps Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater and trying to move up in the draft. They had spoken to the Colts earlier this offseason about making the move, but talks heated up this week once they were out of the Cousins sweepstakes.

The question now is whom will the Jets target at No. 3? This move does not mean they are focused on one of the top quarterbacks. It likely means they have three all rated near each other and feel like now they can come away with one. If they stayed at No. 6, they would have gotten the fourth-best quarterback at best.

The Jets may view this draft as having three top quarterbacks — like the 2004 quarterback draft with Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger.

There are four quarterbacks considered the top of this class — Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield. The Jets spent considerable time last season scouting all of them, when there was an expectation the Jets could wind up with one of the top picks. Instead, the team went 5-11 and ended up with the No. 6 pick.

They shifted their focus to Cousins, seeing a rare opportunity with an above-average quarterback coming available through free agency in his prime and healthy. However, Cousins chose the Vikings even after the Jets offered more money.

That led to the Jets shifting to their original plan of landing one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. They secured McCown, who had a strong season for them last year, and Bridgewater, who could be the starter this year if he has recovered from a devastating left knee injury, and now they made their move to get their quarterback in the draft.

The move came without the Jets having to surrender their 2019 first-round pick. Most teams in recent years have had to give up a future first-rounder when moving up to grab a quarterback. Still, the move came at a hefty price. Three second-round picks are nothing to sneeze at, especially for a rebuilding team like the Jets.

Nevertheless, if the Jets pick the right quarterback and he ends the 40-year search for the next Joe Namath, no one will remember what the franchise gave up to get him.

The Jets also had to make an aggressive move like this because the division-rival Bills are also trying to move up in the draft to get a quarterback. The Jets made that harder for them.

Now, Maccagnan must find the right guy, something no one with the Jets has done since Sonny Werblin in 1965 when he signed Namath. Maccagnan has whiffed on Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg already in the draft and the team has played with Band-Aid quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and McCown during the three years under Maccagnan/Todd Bowles.

The Jets have been planning for this draft since last year. One of the second-round picks they sent to Indianapolis came in the Sheldon Richardson trade, a pick they acquired for more ammunition in this year’s draft.

The last time the Jets made a move like this was in 2009, when then-GM Mike Tannenbaum moved up to No. 5 for Mark Sanchez. That move worked out in the short-term, but not in the long-term.

Maccagnan made the first splash of the draft on Saturday, but his next move will determine whether that splash makes the Jets contenders or they just end up all wet.

The Jets agreed to a two-year deal with inside linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis, a source confirmed. Pierre-Louis, who was with the Chiefs last year, will be a backup linebacker and special teams player.