The NY Giants have several players who could be in high demand ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3rd, and the NY Giants figure to be key players.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman adds an aura of unpredictability to the deadline.
Gettleman, after all, traded a third-round and conditional fifth-round pick to the Jets last fall to acquire defensive lineman Leonard Williams despite the fact that the Giants were 2-6 at the time and Williams was due to be a free agent at season’s end.
The Giants already made one trade, sending edge rusher Markus Golden to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick, and despite being just 1-6 are still alive in the woebegone NFC East race that no one seems interested in winning.
It is entirely possible that the Giants are buyers once again, especially given a glaring need at wide receiver to help hasten second-year quarterback Daniel Jones development.
Likewise, several high-priced veterans could be on the move if the Giants opt to sell, to acquire picks to continue building around Jones and bolster the talent on a young roster with plenty of holes to fill.
Here’s a look at five players the Giants could trade prior to the deadline:
TE Evan Engram
A Change of scenery may be in the best interest both for the Giants and Engram.
Engram, the the 2017 first-round pick, is mired in the slowest start of his career. Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett can’t seem to figure out how to get Engram involved in the deep passing game leading the Giants to resorting to handing off the Engram to utilize his speed and athleticism with the ball in his hands.
Multiple talent evaluators believe Engram will be a popular name for teams calling Gettleman over the next eight days, and a current NFL general manager tells GMenHQ Engram could likely fetch a Day 3 pick. The GM says teams covet Engram’s skill-set and see value in the flexibility provided by the Giants picking up Engram’s fifth-year option for 2021.
WR Golden Tate
Tate has been wildly inconsistent this season, catching 20 passes for 195 yards in six games, but could be a contributing piece to a functioning and competitive offense looking for a slot receiver for the stretch run.
One hurdle the Giants will need to clear is finding a team with the cap space and wherewithal to absorb the remaining two years and $19.2 million on Tate’s deal through 2022. But, as Spotrac points out, only the remaining $4.7 million Tate is due this season is guaranteed.
If a contender such as the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, or New England Patriots with a need at receiver offer a draft pick for Tate, the Giants should jump at the chance both to add to their war chest but also to clear $10.8 million in combined cap space off the books this and next season.
RG Kevin Zeitler
Zeitler has regressed a bit this season, but is still the Giants’ highest-graded offensive linemen with a 60.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
The Giants would possibly be doing a disservice to Jones by weakening the offensive line in front of him, but seem eager to get rookies Matt Peart and Shane Lemieux on the field. Trading Zeitler, 30, who might not be the same player when the Giants field an offense capable of competing that he is even now to get the rookies snaps and add an asset might prove worthwhile.
DL B.J. Hill
Defensive line is arguably the deepest and most talented position on the Giants’ roster, but Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson and Dexter Lawrence all seem to be cornerstone players based on their roles and production while Hill is likely a rotational contributor on this team.
Hill has been productive, producing eight solo tackles, one sack, and 11 total pressures in 157 snaps and garnered a 72.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
The fact that Hill plays a premium position, has shown the ability to contribute at a high level, and perhaps most importantly is cheap while playing on the third-year of his rookie contract, could fetch a premium on the trade market.
DB Logan Ryan
The Giants signed Logan Ryan in the days leading up to this season to provide some veteran stability to the secondary, which Ryan has largely delivered.
However, as multiple executives have told GMenHQ, the players with expiring contracts are most likely to draw the most interest across the league, which Ryan provides.
Gettleman would likely be inclined to take a deal similar to what the Cardinals paid for Golden in order to clear money off the books this year and add a pick in next year’s draft.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.