NY Giants GM Dave Gettleman claimed this week he never traded back in the NFL Draft for fear of being “fleeced,” but if this weekend has proven anything it is that he might actually be a savvy dealmaker, after all.
Prior to this weekend, Gettleman had never traded down during his career during the NFL Draft, and on consecutive days executed a pair of trade downs that position the NY Giants outstandingly in the 2022 NFL Draft, viewed by many coaches and executives inside the league as a much stronger class than this year’s.
Friday night, Gettleman orchestrated a trade with the Miami Dolphins that sent the No. 42 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in exchange for the No. 50 overall pick this year, along with a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The caliber of player available from 40 to 52 likely is not going to be significantly different, but the caliber of player overall in next year’s NFL Draft — which is expected to be a larger and deeper class, might be huge.
Gettleman this weekend netted the NY Giants an addition first-round pick — from Thursday’s trade with the Chicago Bears, moving back from No. 11 to No. 20 — along with the Dolphins’ third-round pick, and an addition fourth-round pick next year.
Thus far, Gettleman and the NY Giants are among the bigger winners of this year’s draft, even after making just one selection, former Florida WR Kadarius Toney.
Here’s a look at the picks the NY Giants now have over the next two years:
Every NY Giants pick in 2021 NFL Draft:
Round 1, Pick No. 20 (via Chicago Bears): Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Kadarius Toney Scouting Report
Round 2, Pick No. 42
Round 3, Pick No. 76
Round 4, Pick No. 117
Round 5, Pick No. 164 (via Chicago Bears)
Round 6, Pick No. 197
Round 6, Pick No. 201*
* via the Arizona Cardinals
Every pick the NY Giants own in 2022 (10 picks):
Round 1
Round 1: (via Chicago Bears)
Round 2
Round 3
Round 3: (via Miami Dolphins)
Round 4
Round 5
Round 5 (via Chicago Bears)
Round 6
Round 7
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL