Well Giants fans, here we are again. Entering this week’s game against the Green Bay Packers, our beloved team sits at 2-8, has an interim head coach at the helm, and all eyes are now on the 2026 NFL Draft. At least the team is starting Jameis Winston instead of Russell Wilson at quarterback in Jaxson Dart’s absence. Even in the darkness, we can find light.
After (now former) head coach Brian Daboll was fired, the expectation was general manager Joe Schoen would follow him out the door. Instead, he was assured he would lead the search for a new head coach and would seemingly be in control of the next draft. With their record, the G-Men currently hold the No. 4 pick, but with the schedule they have remaining, two wins might be the final number.
If they lose out, there’s a good chance they could hold the No. 1 spot in the draft. In Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay’s article, he says trading that pick would be the best-case scenario for Big Blue — and honestly, that shouldn’t be a controversial opinion.
Why trading the No. 1 pick is the move Joe Schoen must make
Doing anything but trading a potential No. 1 pick should mark the end of the Schoen era if it were to happen. Schoen struck gold with Dart and Cam Skattebo, and even though he’s not standing out in the box score, Abdul Carter has been a menace defensively. It’s safe to say this rookie class is what saved Schoen’s job, and he needs to build around them.
Related: Updated 2026 NFL Draft order: Giants surge up the board after Week 10
The way to do this is by trading the top pick. Most would say the Giants’ biggest need is another weapon on the outside for Dart to take attention off Malik Nabers. The 2026 receiver class is deep, especially at the top, but none are worth the No. 1 overall selection. Out of the current top eight picks, there are two — maybe three — including the Giants, that won’t be looking for a quarterback.
This means there’s an opportunity to pounce. Kay says they shouldn’t look outside the top two, but they have more flexibility. With all these other teams’ QB questions, the Giants really just need to make sure it’s in the top five. If Schoen trades the No. 1, acquires a top-five pick, and the Giants get their playmaker plus probably another first or early-round draft pick within the next year or two?
If New York is first on the clock come April, trading the pick isn’t an argument — it’s a necessity.