Giants made an ambitious trade push before the deadline, and it reveals exactly what kind of star they will chase soon
New York stayed quiet before Tuesday’s trade deadline. However, calls to Atlanta and Indianapolis still say plenty about the roster priority under coach John Harbaugh.
The New York Giants did not make a trade before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, but their attempts still reveal plenty. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who covers the Giants, reported that New York called the Atlanta Falcons to try to trade for running back Bijan Robinson.
That was certainly an aggressive and somewhat unrealistic attempt. It also shows exactly the type of move the Giants want to make and how they desire to build the roster under head coach John Harbaugh.
Prohibitive price at the deadline
Speculation about potential Giants moves ran high ahead of the deadline. Nothing materialized, and the main reason was cost.
New York was serious about acquiring Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, for example. The Giants offered a second-round pick plus more for Taylor, but the Colts turned down that initial offer, and New York then pulled it off the table.
Taylor is 27 years old. Even so, the Giants were not willing to pull the trigger once the price climbed past what they considered reasonable.
The Robinson call fits the same pattern. The Falcons were never likely to consider moving one of the best young players in the league. Still, the fact that New York made the call shows the type of player the front office actually wants and is willing to invest in.
Elite players over draft uncertainty
At this stage, the Giants want to acquire elite players. That isn’t always feasible through the draft because every pick carries a level of uncertainty. Therefore, using draft resources to land proven talent makes sense for New York, even if it means taking on older or more expensive players. Robinson is one of the highest-paid running backs in football.
That doesn’t mean the Giants will throw draft picks away or overspend. But for a team in the first year of a new roster-building process under Harbaugh, the main priority is to find building blocks who can be long-term pieces for the franchise.
It’s fair to question whether running back is the right place to find those pieces. Even an elite running back may not move the needle enough to build a contender, and the Falcons themselves are an example of that.
Young core taking shape
Beyond that positional value discussion, a player of Robinson’s caliber would fit with the young core New York is assembling. The Giants potentially have a long-term quarterback in Jaxson Dart. They drafted wide receiver Malachi Fields to pair with Malik Nabers. On the edge, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, who will return next season, give the defense a strong foundation.
New York also drafted linebacker Arvell Reese and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with top-10 picks this year. Robinson would have been another part of that process.
Ultimately the Giants could not land Robinson, and the Taylor deal fell apart over cost as well. Even so, both pursuits offer valuable information. Next offseason will be Year 2 under Harbaugh, and these deadline calls are the clearest example yet of the type of player the Giants could target when they have more flexibility to act.
