New York Giants: Top 5 draft trade partners
By Henry Buggy
Gettleman, who was the Carolina Panthers general manager this time last year, selected former Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the No. 8 overall pick.
It was the first time he had an opportunity to take a player in the top 10 during his five-year stint with the Panthers. As Carolina’s general manager, Gettleman never once traded down.
He explained Thursday at his pre-draft presser why a trade back never happened during his tenure with the Panthers, via New York’s team website.
"“It just kind of never happened. There was nothing ever meaningful enough that would keep me from a player that we had that was there for us to take. I guess that’s what it is. Like I said, you can outsmart yourself and you can have a player there that you like, but someone wants to trade and you go, ‘Alright, I can get extra draft picks.’ Woo and you get into that. Nobody ever offered us – you know what, in Carolina I never got a meaningful enough offer to trade back.”"
Gettleman also never held the No. 2 overall pick. Let alone hold the No. 2 overall pick in a loaded quarterback draft class.
The New York Giants already have a significant question mark at the quarterback position. His name is Davis Webb.
Gettleman and newly appointed head coach Pat Shurmur both believe four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Eli Manning has gas left in the tank. They also know the 37-year-old is getting closer to retirement.
New York Giants
Big Blue’s former general manager Jerry Reese used a third-round selection on Webb. If the Giants take a quarterback No. 2 overall, the 87th overall pick in last year’s draft will basically have been a waste.
That doesn’t mean the Giants shouldn’t take a quarterback. It’s just the reality of the situation. That’s why Ben McAdoo’s decision to bench Manning for Geno Smith last season was so mind-boggling. If the front office and ownership wanted to get a look at Webb, it would have made sense.
Darnold the Favorite
Webb is just one of many factors to take into account. The Giants reportedly want USC quarterback Sam Darnold. If the Cleveland Browns don’t select the Trojans quarterback, the decision is likely a no-brainer.
But if Cleveland does take Darnold No. 1 overall, how will that impact Big Blue’s draft plans?
That all depends on how Gettleman, the scouting department, and Shurmur view the rest of the quarterbacks at the top of this year’s class. Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, and Baker Mayfield are considered the other top three quarterbacks.
All three have their flaws, but so does Darnold. If the Giants believe any of the three can be their future franchise quarterback, there should be no reason to trade back.
The Giants are also reportedly high on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb. Both are worthy of the No. 2 overall pick in terms of talent, but an argument could also be made that trading back will give the Giants more value.
If the G-Men do make a trade, it may not be until the day of the draft.
Draft Analyst Tony Pauline reports a “trade won’t happen until very late in the process, if it happens at all, as the Giants want to field further offers.”
A stockpile of draft picks can be the turning point for a franchise, so can drafting the right quarterback. Only Gettleman, Shurmur, and New York’s ownership will decide what’s best for the franchise.
The Giants may end up deciding to take a quarterback, even if Darnold is off the board. Selecting Barkley or Chubb would immediately help the team this upcoming season.
But trading back also surely remains an option. There are some clear favorites to move up in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Giants will likely only want to strike a deal with a team that can help them both now and in the long-term.
Here’s a closer look at the top five draft trade partners for the New York Giants.