As questions mount about a potential trade involving New York Giants receiver Darnell Mooney, a key component is seemingly going unmentioned on social media.
Assuming that the Giants did trade Mooney, what would they get in return?
As it turns out, the New England Patriots may have provided a potential preview, and the results shouldn’t excite Giants fans. The Patriots sent receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Texans on Monday for backup safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick.
Houston had been floated among Giants fans as a potential landing spot for either Mooney or Darius Slayton. The Texans lost projected starter Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL last week. Boutte and Reed are both pending free agents, which only complicates the idea of a Mooney or Slayton trade.
What impact does the Kayshon Boutte trade have on New York Giants receiver Darnell Mooney?
Mooney’s roster status has seemingly been in flux throughout training camp. Braxton Berrios appears likely to survive final cuts because of his special teams experience, and Malik Nabers and Malachi Fields are guaranteed spots.
Although Mooney surprisingly didn’t play against the Dolphins this past weekend, Giants coach John Harbaugh clarified that the veteran receiver had permission to leave the team for his brother’s wedding.
Family comes first, and if the Giants part ways with Mooney, his attending a wedding won’t be the deciding factor — or, at least, it shouldn’t. He’d heard his name mentioned as a trade or cut candidate prior to his personal trip.
For the sake of conversation, let’s assume that the Giants are open to trading Mooney or Slayton. Conventional wisdom suggests that they’d keep at least one of them, and the latter might have the advantage given his status as their most experienced returning receiver.
Boutte will play the entire season at 25 years old, and multiple things about Monday’s trade can be true. Either the Texans didn’t need to give up much for a young receiver, or Boutte simply didn’t have the value that many might have expected.
Could the New York Giants still trade receiver Darnell Mooney?
Neither possibility bodes well for the Giants. We mentioned Boutte as a possible trade candidate following the draft, and we imagined it’d likely cost a fifth- or sixth-round pick. But if the Patriots got a backup safety and a 2028 pick, then maybe the best-case scenario for a Mooney trade involves a conditional draft pick?
In that hypothetical situation, then the Giants should consider keeping Mooney around. He played for offensive coordinator Matt Nagy in Chicago, and they could do far worse for depth receiver options.
That said, there is so much that could change within the next 10 days. Teams must submit their initial 53-man rosters by next Sunday night, and we won’t be surprised if numerous notable young receivers are available.
As of Monday afternoon, the Giants had not indicated how much the starters will play against the Jets this coming Friday night. Mooney did not have a catch in the Aug. 15 loss to Minnesota.
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