The NY Giants traded back from the No. 11 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night, in a deal with the Chicago Bears, netting a king’s ransom in the process.
In exchange for the No. 11 overall choice, the NY Giants received the Bears’ No. 20 overall pick this year, a fifth-round draft choice this year, and a fourth-round pick next year.
However, the prize of this deal for the NY Giants was the Chicago Bears’ 2022 first-round pick.
General manager Dave Gettleman had never previously traded down in his career, for fear of being “fleeced” in a trade, but in his first such move wound up the big winner.
The NY Giants executed the blockbuster deal with the Bears moments after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up in a deal with the Dallas Cowboys for the No. 10 overall pick, to select Devonta Smith.
With the pick acquired from the NY Giants, the Bears selected Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
Several league sources told GMenHQ in recent weeks that Smith was among the top players, — if not the top player on the NY Giants’ draft board. With Smith gone to the division rivals, Gettleman and the Giants went looking for a deal, and came away the big winners in this trade.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL