NY Giants right guard Kevin Zeitler is likely to be a hot commodity at the NFL trade deadline, but GM Dave Gettleman would be wise to call these 3 teams
As Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline rapidly approaches, one player the NY Giants likely have the best chance to move and could be most inclined to trade based on conversations with league and team sources is right guard Kevin Zeitler.
Zeitler remains among the Giants’ most dominant offensive linemen with a 66.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, but his play his dipped slightly each of the past two seasons since being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.
Team sources tell GMenHQ that the Giants’ decisions ahead of the deadline will be governed by two factors; adding draft picks in 2021 and clearing cap space both off the books next year and for the remainder of this season that can be rolled over. Creating cap space is a top priority, because the expectations of executives and agents across the league is that the salary cap will dip, and perhaps significantly so, in 2021.
Zeitler is set to count a team-high $14 million against the cap in 2021, but trading him would free up approximately $12 million, according to OverTheCap, which certainly would add to general manager Dave Gettleman’s motivation to strike a deal.
There are several teams across the league who need offensive linemen, but thee teams — two of which in the throes of a playoff race — have the need, wherewithal and draft capital to put together a package to make a Zeitler trade worthwhile for the Giants.
Scroll through for a look at three teams Gettleman should call to shop Zeitler prior to Tuesday: