For the second time in one week, the New York Giants have traded away a backup right guard in exchange for a late-round draft pick. After sending Daniel Faalele to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2027 sixth-round pick, the G-Men shipped Joshua Ezeudu to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2028 seventh-round pick, per insider Jordan Schultz.
A week ago, Ezeudu had almost no chance to make New York's final roster. A former draft bust, he was playing out his final days with Big Blue. The Faalele trade gave him hope, but that hope was short-lived. He has now been sent off to Kansas City, where he'll help fill in for an offensive line that lacks key depth.
With another right guard out of the picture, the Giants' offensive line depth has been shaken up once again. This move could offer new opportunities to a few players previously assumed to be on the outs.
New York Giants' Joshua Ezeudu trade opens last opportunities for Evan Neal and Jake Kubas
Ezeudu has split his time between left tackle and left guard across his three seasons with the G-Men. He often filled in when Andrew Thomas was injured. This offseason, he moved over to the right side of the line, competing for a backup right guard spot. He even got some work at right tackle in the preseason.
Apparently, the Chiefs liked what they saw from his tackle tape. Kansas City was previously set to rely on undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson as its backup right tackle. With a history of injuries on the offensive line, it's easy to understand why Chiefs general manager Brett Veach wanted a player with more experience in the role.
With Ezeudu out of the picture, the Giants' backup guard competition has been narrowed down to just a few names. Evan Neal and Jake Kubas join Aaron Stinnie as the remaining backup guards. Stinnie is likely to make the roster and has experience at both left guard and right guard. In all likelihood, Neal and Kubas will battle it out for one final spot.
Last season, the Giants were two-deep at every spot on the offensive line to start the season. If John Harbaugh keeps that trend going, either Neal or Kubas will be let go in the coming days. Big Blue may not be done making moves on the offensive line, though, as plenty of talented players will become available by the August 30th cut deadline.
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