The New York Giants had their shot. They made the call. They even sweetened the deal. But the Tennessee Titans never really gave them a shot—at least not a legitimate one.
With the 2025 NFL Draft now just over a day away, it’s clear the G-Men did everything they could to move up for the top quarterback in this year’s class, Cam Ward. Joe Schoen reportedly offered a package including a third-round pick in addition to their third overall, and future capital in hopes of jumping from No. 3 to No. 1. The Titans still didn’t flinch.
Now, new Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi is staying put—committed to taking Ward and using him as the centerpiece of a roster rebuild. The irony? The Giants tried to help him get that rebuild started by giving him more picks. Now Borgonzi will take his quarterback and figure out later how to get back into Round 3 (they traded theirs to the Chiefs for L'Jarius Snead)... where New York once tried to give him a seat.
Giants urged to make impossible trade with Titans
In a recent article for Pro Football Focus, Thomas Valentine proposed one trade each NFL team should make. For the Giants? His suggestion was bold:
Valentine framed it as a must-do for New York’s front office. “Cam Ward should be the quarterback the team is ready to risk it all for,” he wrote. The idea: Schoen and Brian Daboll are running out of time. So go get your guy before it’s too late.
In theory, maybe. In reality? It's going to be a hard pass.
Borgonzi confirmed this week that they’re staying put at No. 1, saying the team “came to a consensus” after listening to offers. According to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Tennessee had “real” interest from teams like the Browns and Giants but never gave either team a real shot. Multiple reports confirmed that New York was “more persistent” than Cleveland—including offering a third-rounder—but the Titans weren’t budging.
All signs now point to Ward being the No. 1 pick Thursday night. So where does that leave New York?
According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, the Giants may still look to draft a quarterback, but not at No. 3. Daboll is reportedly pushing for Jaxson Dart—a late-first or early-second-round QB prospect from Ole Miss. There’s a belief that New York could package picks to move back into the first round to secure him, depending on how the board falls.
Whether it’s Dart or a surprise name like Louisville's Tyler Shough, it sounds like the Giants will most likely exit this draft with another quarterback. Just not the one many thought they could chase.
Valentine’s hypothetical trade looked juicy on paper. But the reality is it never had the legs. The Titans weren’t budging. Big Blue didn’t overextend. And now, the draft board begins where it always was—with New York at No. 3, left to choose from a trio of blue-chip talents: Colorado's Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, and Penn State's Abdul Carter.
Not ideal. But not the worst place to be, either. For now, it's status quo and there's nothing wrong with that. Had Schoen sold the farm for Ward, the fallout could’ve been worse than missing out.