Go ahead and label me public enemy No. 1 right now, because I'm about to say the absolute last thing New York Giants fans want to hear as training camp approaches.
While everyone around East Rutherford is busy getting amped for Cam Skattebo’s highly anticipated Year 2 breakout, we need to talk about the giant, elephant-sized cloud hanging over his timeline: he might not be ready.
Skatt has insisted he'll be firing on all cylinders for Week 1, but I call it like I see it -- his body, not how optimistic he is at a town hall, is in charge of that actually happening. If his recovery from his brutal, season-ending dislocated ankle injury hits any sort of snag, a team with long-shot postseason aspirations could find itself in a massive bind before the season rolls around.
That's why Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay recently threw out a trade blueprint for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, listing four potential suitors, but leaving Big Blue out entirely. But if you think new Giants head coach John Harbaugh is just going to let general manager Joe Schoen sit on his hands and pray to the injury gods during OTAs, you haven't been paying attention to what's been going on this offseason.
Alvin Kamara is the exact high-end insurance policy the Giants need right now
Just look at the moves Harbs has been making. He brought in bowling ball turned Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard, signed tight end Isaiah Likely, added thousands of pounds to the offensive line, and used the No. 10 overall pick on 6-foot-6, 330-pound mountain Francis Mauigoa.
The G-Men are building an absolute bully-ball machine, designed specifically to relentlessly beat opposing defenses into submission.
While Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary are more than capable of holding down the fort if Skatt's a no-go, this offense needs a bona fide weapon to truly scare defenses.
Enter Kamara. The 30-year-old has piqued my interest before, but now with the uncertainty around Skattebo's timeline, I feel the need to revisit. The Saints jammed up their own backfield by signing Travis Etienne Jr., meaning Kamara could find himself in a weird spot in the Big Easy.
With June 1 finally here, New Orleans can now spread Kamara's dead cap hit -- if they move him -- over two years, making a trade much easier for them to stomach.
Meanwhile, Big Blue just recently restructured left tackle Andrew Thomas’ contract, freeing up $6.46 million in cap space by converting his base salary into a signing bonus. I smell an ulterior motive. Schoen's getting ready to do something, and buying a high-end Skattebo insurance policy that doubles as a dynamic offensive nightmare almost makes too much sense.
If the G-Men want to enter the "did someone say playoffs" conversation, calling up the Saints to engage in trade talks for Kamara would be a smart move. Even if Skatt's healthy for Week 1, teams can never have too many offensive weapons, especially if they have an up-and-coming quarterback under center, such as Jaxson Dart.
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