The NFL trade deadline is less than a week away, and we know chaos is bound to ensue and some big moves are about to be made. But what we don't know is how active the New York Giants will be in the madness, as they're built to win the NFC East, but they aren't legitimate Super Bowl contenders yet.
The 4-2-1 Giants are 1.5 games ahead of the Cowboys for the division lead, which puts them in a unique opportunity to be buyers before Tuesday's trade deadline. And I'm sure nobody wants to make a bigger splash than John Harbaugh, which has made New York a team to watch over the next week--especially if they beat the Eagles on Sunday.
Many Giants fans want to see the team go big and acquire Jonathan Taylor away from the Indianapolis Colts, which would likely rid the team of their 2027 first-round pick. Given he's the most coveted asset available, basically every competitive team wants him, yet a 27-year-old running back on a large contract wouldn't exactly be the best fit for this team's timeline.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Harbaugh was asked if he would like to make any major additions to the roster in the next week before the trade deadline, and he answered with a resounding yes. But his answer also came with a caveat, given the draft pick situation this team is currently in.
"Always, always. I mean, that's always the goal," Harbaugh said. "Easier said than done. And it's hard to find players that can make you better, because we have good players. Very good players. So, it's got to be something that is a need, that fits your financial profile, that fits your price tag. I mean, it's not like we have a bunch of draft picks either. We're not loaded with 12 or 13 draft picks where we've got draft capital to burn. We don't. So, we have to be smart shoppers that way."
John Harbaugh knows the Giants have limited draft capital to work with
Harbaugh all but confirmed that the Giants aren't going to make a trade just for the sake of it. It has to be a player who will actually make your team better and is attainable at the right price. They aren't in a position to burn through draft capital because they have it. In fact, they're actually at a deficit in that area.
As it stands currently, Big Blue has just six picks in the 2027 Draft: picks in the first three rounds, a compensatory fourth-round pick for losing Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency this past offseason, and two sixth-rounders, including the one picked up from Jacksonville in the Daniel Faalele trade.
The G-Men dealt their 2027 fourth-round pick to Cleveland when they traded up for Malachi Fields during the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They sent their 2027 fifth to Minnesota in exchange for J.J. McCarthy, and their 2027 seventh-rounder was included in the Darren Waller trade last summer.
Harbaugh even admitted that the Giants would rather give up 2028 draft capital, as he referred to it as "easier to put on the credit card. So this means it's still on the table for them to make a big move, but it might be a little tougher or take a little bit of extra maneuvering in order to make it work out right.
Maybe this is just wishful thinking, and I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. But it would make a lot more sense for John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen to part with 2028 capital unless they're making a JT-level splash where they have to give up a premium selection.
The New York Giants' lack of 2027 draft capital is putting them in a position where they either have to make a splash or settle for more smaller-scale moves at the trade deadline, which will be a real Sophie's Choice for Harbs, especially if he can land a true feature back.
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