John Harbaugh got painfully close to making his first blockbuster move with the Giants
New York tried to acquire Trent McDuffie via trade.
The New York Giants need to improve their roster, and they got close to doing that ahead of free agency. According to Sam McDowell, a columnist for The Kansas City Star, the Giants were a “finalist” in the Trent McDuffie sweepstakes.
However, the Los Angeles Rams outbid them by offering a first-round pick and more — the package included pick 29, fifth- and sixth-rounders in 2026, plus a third-rounder in 2027. That was too much for the Giants, and they will have to look elsewhere for reinforcements.
That would be a huge move for John Harbaugh
The Giants are set to have the fifth overall pick in the draft, so giving up that for a veteran plus the contract would have just been too much. The Giants would probably be comfortable paying their early second and a bit more, but at that point the Rams would have the better offer — Los Angeles also has the 13th overall pick from the Atlanta Falcons because of a draft day trade last year.
New York does need to get better on defense. Last season, the unit ended up at 26th by defensive DVOA, and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was fired in November — outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen took over as the interim down the stretch.
Now, the scheme will be different. John Harbaugh hired Dennard Wilson as his new defensive coordinator — Wilson spent the past two years as a DC for the Tennessee Titans, but previously worked as a defensive backs coach under Harbaugh on the Baltimore Ravens.
Last offseason, the Giants already made a big move at the cornerback position signing Paulson Adebo to a significant contract in free agency. The room also has Deonte Banks, Jarrick Bernard-Converse, Korie Black, T.J. Moore, Rico Payton, and Dru Phillips.
Risk of doing business
Sometimes, the best trades are the ones you don’t make. While Trent McDuffie is a really good player and is still young at 25, there’s obvious risks involved in a move like that. Cornerback is a particularly volatile position, and it’s harder to project that a defensive back will keep his production and level of performance going from one team to another.
The Giants don’t want to rebuild under John Harbaugh, but the roster needs an infusion of talent. One player helps, but keeping the multiple picks and cap space can also be a valuable tool in this transition period.