The New York Giants enter the trade deadline for the first time in a long time as buyers. That's because they are 5-2-1 through the first nine weeks of the season, and sit firmly in first place in the NFC East. It truly is a marvel the Giants have gotten to this point, especially with quarterback Jaxson Dart and defensive lineman Brian Burns out for the season due to knee injuries early on in the campaign.
Their most recent injury was to starting middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who is done for the rest of the season due to a chest injury. Instead of panicking and looking at the inside linebacker trade market, the Giants instead opted to give Micah McFadden a shot to not only replace Edmunds at the position, but also to put on the green dot on his helmet to communicate plays to his teammates on defense.
McFadden played well in his debut as starter in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. And for those wondering how he'd play after his return from the bye week to take on the rival Philadelphia Eagles, McFadden put up another strong performance.
Micah McFadden has strong game in Giants' win over Eagles in Week 9
The Giants picked up a narrow 19-11 win over an understaffed Eagles team. The Giants did just enough to take a lead, but the defense helped ensure the Eagles never got close to a victory. The defense, as a whole, sacked quarterback Joe Milton seven times, with McFadden securing one of them. Additionally, they held the Eagles offense to just 220 yards on 66 plays.
McFadden recorded nine total tackles (five solo) and a fumble recovery on Arvel Reese's viral and vicious sack on MIlton. McFadden also held his own in pass coverage, as he allowed just two catches for 25 yards on five five targets. For his effort, Mcfadden received a game ball from head coach John Harbaugh.
McFadden had always whown upside during his time with the Giants. Last season, it seemed like he would finally get a chance, only for it to end in the first game due to a foot injury. Now, he stepped up for Edmunds in a year in which the Giants are competing for a playoff spot, and he's more than holding his own.
Linebacker is not a necessity for Giants entering trade deadline
The good thing for the Giants is that since McFadden is playing so well, it's that they don't need to find one at the trade deadline on Tuesday at 4p.m. ET. With that, the Giants don't have to devote draft assets to bring in an external option. So, they should be good the rest of the way as long as McFadden is healthy.
As for where the Giants will focus, running back stood out for quite some time. However, their plans have hit a road block as of late. Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens and Tony Pollard of the Tennessee Titans are both reportedly off limits in trade talks. The belief was the Giants would set their main focus on Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, since the team is in a rebuild. Reporting from FOX Sports' Jay Glazer revealed that the Giants offered their 2027 second-round pick and their 2028 fifth-round pick in exchange for Taylor. But once the Colts rejected that offer, the Giants reportedly pulled their offer altogether. There is still a chance the Giants and Colts could reconvene about a trade for Taylor, but as of now, it looks unlikely.
ESPN's Jordan Raanan shared on Monday morning that the belief around the league is that the Giants will now set their focus on addressing their interior defensive line. While D.J. Reader has been a welcome addition to the Giants and is probably the top performing defensive tackle in the game this season, the team still needs to improve their run defense. This season, the Giants have allowed 123.6 rushing yars per game, which is the 12th highest in the NFL. So, they could be looking to make their defense even more powerful as they look to secure an NFC East title and a playoff berth.
The good thing for the Giants is that McFadden is playing at such a high level that they don't need to make a trade in an effort to replace Edmunds' absence.
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