The Athletic has the Giants and Bears getting a blockbuster first-round trade done

After an eventful offseason that has already included a trade for Brian Burns and the loss of Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney in free agency, the NY Giants still have several needs to satisfy heading into next season. General manager Joe Schoen will look to fill some of those voids in the NFL Draft.

There has been plenty of chatter surrounding which player Big Blue will select with its first-round pick on April 25. NY has been linked to a handful of potential franchise quarterbacks and some of the best receivers in the 2024 class. However, in The Athletic's most recent mock draft, Schoen trades down with the Chicago Bears, moving the Giants from No. 6 to No. 9 overall while adding the No. 75 overall pick and a 2025 mid-round pick. Fans cool with that?

NY Giants trade down for dynamic offensive player in The Athletic's mock draft

Rather than staying put at No. 6, this mock draft suggests NY should move down to gain draft capital. The hypothetical trade supplies the front office with another second-round pick after they dealt one to the Carolina Panthers to land Burns. However, they could be missing out on a WR1 or franchise QB.

The Bears will select highly-coveted WR Malik Nabers in the mock draft. Three picks later, the Giants take Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 9 overall. Could Schoen really pass up an opportunity to find a premium wideout or a Daniel Jones replacement for Darren Waller's successor?

Bowers is the consensus top TE in this year's class after three exceptional years at UGA. During his three years in Athens, Bowers reeled in 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns. He became the first player in college football history to win consecutive Mackey Awards, the honor given to the nation's top tight end. Bowers was also an All-American and won two National Championships at UGA.

The Giants are unsure whether Waller will return to NY or step away from the game as he continues to mull retirement. His lone season with the G-Men was underwhelming, and Daniel Bellinger is the next-best tight end on the roster. Bowers is an exceptional talent, but the Giants might opt to pursue a more important position with their first-rounder.

Later in the mock draft, the Giants will go with Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin with the No. 47 overall pick, North Carolina WR Dez Walker with the No. 70 overall pick, and Boston College guard Christian Mahogany with the pick the Bears traded to them earlier in the draft. All three of those players fill some of NY's most important positional needs.

There have been many mock draft scenarios where NY trades down, but this might be one of the most bizarre. Needless to say, Big Blue fans might not be happy if Schoen takes a TE after a lackluster 6-11 season.