There’s been scuttlebutt that the Giants are trying to trade back in the first round of next week’s NFL Draft, looking to drop from the No. 11 spot to pick up some extra assets elsewhere. Not many believe it, as GM Dave Gettleman is notorious for saying his picks are available and then never moving – but in the team’s pre-draft press conference that it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
“You know, you guys don’t believe me, but I’ve tried in the past. Honest, I’ve tried to trade back. We’ve had opportunities, but it’s got to be value. I’m not getting fleeced,” Gettleman said. “If somebody wants to make a bad trade back, God bless them, but I won’t do it. It’s almost become an urban myth, but I’ve tried. I really have.”
Gettleman has also apparently been snake-bitten a couple times, too.
“You have to understand, the other piece of this is sometimes you have a trade and the guy that the team is trading up for gets picked in front of you,” he said. “We've had that happen to us, where we have a trade, and then so and so selects the player…no trade, Dave, goodbye, and they hang up the phone on me.”
This year’s draft looks to be quarterback-heavy at the top, so there are plenty of possibilities for the Giants to get an impact player – and according to Director of College Scouting Chris Pettit, “edge rushers are how you win,” but that doesn’t mean the G-Men are committed there.
"You’re always looking to upgrade every position. Doesn’t make a difference whether it’s wide receiver, tackle, whatever. You’re always looking to upgrade," Gettleman said. "It’s about value and how you’re building your team, what you’re looking to do, and you can never have too many good players at one position."
Pettit said that he didn’t think No. 11 was too high to take an edge rusher in this admittedly down class, but if the Giants don’t move down, that “too many good players” strategy could leave them primed to add another weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones.
Alabama’s wide receiver combo, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith, have each been linked as possible targets (many of our Audacy mock drafts have had Waddle going to Big Blue), and when asked about them – and specifically, their size, or lack of it – Gettleman wasn’t too concerned.
"You evaluate the film and their college film suggests they’re very good players," Gettleman said. "There are plenty of smaller guys who have been very successful in this league just like there are plenty of huge guys that have been successful and in the middle.”
One thing is clear, though: wherever, and whomever, the Giants pick, it will be someone the team feels can make an impact on Day 1.
“It’s really hard to take a guy that at 11 that you’re betting on the potential, and in the NFL, I have to be really cognizant of the coaches,” Gettleman said. “They’re under the pressure to win all the time. Every Sunday is a referendum on their skills as coaches, so you have to be really careful when you start taking guys that high where you love the physical skills and potential but wonder how long is it gonna take to show on the field.”
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