New York Giants Football: Ranking Dave Gettleman’s top 10 moves

10. Moving Snacks Harrison at the 2018 trade deadline

Damon Harrison was one of the more beloved players on the New York Giants defense, making this move a difficult one for Giants fans to endure. Losing the run stopping prowess of Harrison made trading him for a fifth round pick seem ill advised.

However, rumors would later surface that the trade was done due to a combination of on-field and off-field issues that the Giants brass had with Harrison. The on-field issues were more due to the fact that he didn’t fit the scheme the Giants defense was employing, as well as Dalvin Tomlinson and B.J. Hill did. Ultimately, Tomlinson and Hill were younger, cheaper options that were better suited for the scheme of the New York defense, making Harrison expendable. The off-field issues were reportedly in regards to confrontations that Harrison had with teammates, including Jason Pierre-Paul and Will Hernandez.

While the Giants would use the fifth round pick they received from the Detroit Lions, to trade up for Deandre Baker, who has not lived up to expectations, the bigger benefit comes from the salary cap savings. By moving Harrison, the Giants were able to shed over $32 million in salary moving forward, money that can be used to sign more pressing team needs. As a result, the trade was a success for Dave Gettleman and the Giants.