Sometimes, it is the moves teams don't make that end up having the biggest impact on the rest of the league. What follows a non-move is usually utter chaos, resulting in a domino effect that's wildly unpredictable.
New York Giants fans know this all too well. Whether it’s not making the move to swing a trade for a superstar cornerback in 2026 or passing on Justin Herbert in the 2020 Draft, there are countless alternate dimensions where the Giants made different choices and ended up better or worse because of them.
When the Cleveland Browns made a blockbuster deal to send Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, Giants fans breathed a massive sigh of relief. NBC Sports Philadelphia's Ryan Fowler reported that the Philadelphia Eagles had "more than exploratory interest" in the seven-time All-Pro (five first team honors and two second teams).
By keeping one of the NFL’s most terrifying pass-rushers out of the NFC East -- and Jaxson Dart's face -- the G-Men just secured a massive divisional win without doing anything themselves. You know what they say: you snooze, you lose. Philly’s failed pursuit means Big Blue dodged one of the most physically dominant defenders the league has ever seen.
Philly’s pain is Giants' gain
In case you were too busy with the Odell Beckham Jr. news -- along with the Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster signing news, of course -- or living under a rock, Garrett was traded to LA for up-and-coming pass-rusher Jared Verse, LA's 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.
Not only did they miss out on a future Hall of Fame pass-rusher, they also traded away star wide receiver AJ Brown to the New England Patriots later in the day in a deal that's been waiting to get over the finish line for months. Talk about the slowest burn as far as "breaking news" is concerned.
This dual stroke of luck exposes severe cracks in Philadelphia's roster, altering the NFC East power dynamic in a big way. Without Brown to bully defensive backs, Philly's offense risks becoming more one-dimensional.
Devonta Smith has big shoes to fill and former Giant running back Saquon Barkley came down to earth hard in his second year in Philly last season, averaging a modest 4.07 yards per carry.
Defenses can now stack the box, leaving head coach Nick Sirianni's squad with few options beyond resorting to the "Tush Push" on every single down.
The outlook is just as bleak on the other side of the ball. The Iggles' defensive front lost pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Carolina Panthers in free agency -- one year after losing star pass-rusher Josh Sweat to the Arizona Cardinals -- leaving the group looking thin.
Relying on Jonathan Greenard alongside we-hope-they-actually-work-out options like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. leaves a lot to be desired. Missing out on Garrett (while even reportedly offering star defensive lineman Jalen Carter in negotiations) caps off a hilariously disastrous sequence for the Eagles.
For the Giants, this is about as good as it gets for not doing anything at all.
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