The New York Giants are 4-2-1 and sit atop the NFC East as they emerge from their bye week. For a team that didn’t play on Sunday, the rest of the division did a great job doing exactly what the G-Men would’ve liked, keeping their playoff hopes more alive than they’ve been since 2022.
The Dallas Cowboys blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to the Arizona Cardinals at home for the first time in 204 instances, while the Washington Commanders bested the Philadelphia Eagles to earn their second win of the season. Essentially, what I’m saying is that it’s officially go time for Big Blue to buy all the way in ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
A few potential trade targets have been making the rounds, with defensive tackle and running back looking like the two most obvious positions for New York to upgrade.
The latter is especially interesting given who’s potentially available. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor is the biggest name being floated around, but the 27-year-old three-time Pro Bowler might cost the Giants more than they’re willing to give up. Which brings us to a guy New York showed plenty of interest in during last year’s draft: Ashton Jeanty.
Giants’ Ashton Jeanty trade idea sounds better in theory than reality
Jeanty had himself a pretty miserable Sunday, even with the Las Vegas Raiders eking out a win over the New York Jets 38-33. After some pregame trash talk, head coach Klint Kubiak essentially benched the former sixth overall pick, giving him just two carries compared to rookie Mike Washington Jr.’s 25.
Jeanty did add three catches for 64 yards, but for a 22-year-old running back drafted sixth overall just last year, that’s a pretty substantial reduction in workload. Naturally, trade speculation followed.
FanSided’s Christopher Kline floated the idea of New York buying low on Jeanty, writing, “This is the chance for New York to buy low on the most prized college running back in years, potentially forming one of the NFL’s best backfield duos for the foreseeable future.”
That sounds good on paper. Jeanty and Skatt running around North Jersey together could be dangerous. Both are young, and pairing their running styles could give the Giants a pretty nasty backfield once Jaxson Dart returns next season.
But I’m having a hard time believing Las Vegas would actually entertain selling low on Jeanty after one tough week.
He’s only in his second season, and the Raiders can keep him under contract through 2029 with his fifth-year option. Just because Kubiak gave him two carries on Sunday doesn’t mean the sky is falling in Sin City.
And if you thought Taylor’s reported asking price was steep (second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round draft picks), imagine what Las Vegas would want for a 22-year-old former top-six pick. Maybe not that much -- the former Boise State superstar is only averaging 3.1 yards per carry this season -- but it certainly won't be cheap.
With Tyrone Tracy Jr. on IR and Najee Harris recently released, they need another back, but spending a premium pick on a player like Jeanty feels like a luxury they can’t afford. Plus, they just released a guy averaging 3.2 yards per carry after he publicly questioned the backfield rotation. Jeanty might have more upside, but at 3.1 yards per carry himself, I’m not sure paying a premium for him is the answer right now.
Tony Pollard might be worth a look. Tennessee is 1-7, and the 29-year-old could give New York some much-needed depth without requiring the kind of blockbuster package Taylor or Jeanty would command.
Jeanty would be an interesting addition, but the Giants can find a better, cheaper fit elsewhere to help them win the division without sacrificing all of their draft picks. And unless the Raiders are willing to make a deal that makes absolutely no sense for them (don’t count it out), I don’t see Jeanty being that guy.
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