With the NFL trade deadline finally passing, the NY Giants had a much quieter week than many had thought they would, only pulling off one trade. Despite this, we're still glad with the front office's decision-making, as compared to how some other teams did, it could have gone much worse for the G-Men.
Now, entering the second half of the 2023 season, we'll have to see how the Giants look and whether or not they will actually end up being winners. At first glance, though, it's pretty easy to say that general manager Joe Schoen was smart with his calls. Here are four reasons why:
4. Not depleting the roster of talent
While the Giants did pull off a trade in sending Leonard Williams to Seattle (more on that later in this piece) that will likely work out very well for them, we're still glad that Schoen didn't go all out when it came to New York being sellers this deadline. Sure, it would have been nice to see maybe another player or two be shipped off, but keeping this roster full of talent could work out in the long run.
The Giants are currently 2-6 on the season, but come on, they're only a few plays away from being either 3-5 or 4-4. With Daniel Jones returning to full health and starting against the Raiders this weekend, the G-Men have a great chance to be competitive the rest of the way. NY couldn't just give up on the rest of the year.
Most players who have been talked about in trade discussions likely wouldn't yield much more than a Day 2-3 pick in this upcoming draft. So in all reality, it makes much more sense for Schoen and the Giants to stay the course. If they continue to struggle, though, a Top 10 pick will be on the way.
Players like Xavier McKinney, Saquon Barkley, Azeez Ojulari, and Adoree' Jackson were all discussed as potential trade options in the last couple of weeks. While the Giants may have been able to get adequate value for these guys, it's likely better to keep them around long-term in case the team manages to turn it around.