Few teams have had a more disappointing start to the season than the New York Giants, who have looked like a dumpster fire over their first five games. New York has been blown out four times, three of which came in prime time, and needed a miraculous comeback against Arizona in the second half to avoid an 0-5 start.
With a daunting schedule still ahead of them, the odds are stacked heavily against a turnaround, so the Giants will likely be sellers at the trade deadline. Let's take a look at three players who won't be in New York by the start of November.
3. Adoree' Jackson
Jackson is the Giants' top cornerback but his contract is set to void after this season, making him a free agent. While the New York secondary would take a big hit without Jackson, his injury history makes it tough to justify a new contract as he enters his age-29 season.
The Giants could get a solid Day 2 pick for Jackson, who can fill a cornerback hole for teams struggling in pass defense early on. Offering to pay down some of Jackson's salary, like the Los Angeles Chargers did with J.C. Jackson, could also help increase the value of the potential draft pick they'd receive in exchange.
While it would be a rough watch for the rest of this season, Jackson's reps could be valuable to young players like Tre Hawkins and 2023 first rounder Deonte Banks. Getting more tape on both players could be valuable for GM Joe Schoen as he decides how to address the unit in the offseason.
It feels like Williams has been overpaid since he signed his three-year, $63 million deal prior to the 2021 season. That contract was handed out by former GM Dave Gettleman, who wanted to justify the cost of acquiring Williams in a trade from the New York Jets during the 2020 season, and hasn't been worth nearly as much as what Williams provides the team.
While the Giants' defensive line has benefitted from Williams' ability to stop the run and pressure the pocket from the interior, he is not a true game wrecker like his salary indicates. Schoen has resisted the urge to restructure Williams' contract, simply paying it out until it runs out after this season, and it appears unlikely the Giants want to give him more big money after handing a lucrative extension to the younger (and more effective) Dexter Lawrence this summer.
Paying down some of Williams' contract could make him an attractive trade chip for teams that need help on the interior defensive line. Williams is also still a productive player, racking up 12 tackles and a half sack over the Giants' first five games this season.
Moving Williams would also be beneficial to the Giants since defensive tackle is their deepest position group on the roster. A'Shawn Robinson could fill the spot opposite Lawrence right now while rookie Jordon Riley would get more work if Williams is moved.
1. Saquon Barkley
The rumor mill has been swirling around Barkley for months since he and the Giants failed to come to terms on a long-term extension over the summer. Barkley took a one-year bandaid contract to report to camp but entered Week 6 with only one and a half games of playing time after spraining his ankle late in Week 2's loss to Arizona.
Few NFL teams want to pay top dollar to running backs in the modern NFL and Schoen came from an organization in Buffalo which follows that mantra. There is no doubt that Barkley can be a game-changing weapon on the right team but New York has so many holes that it would make paying him a luxury they can't afford.
Rather than risk seeing Barkley walk for nothing in the offseason, the Giants will likely shop him in order to recoup some draft picks to build a deeper roster. A few teams that have suffered running back injuries could call on Barkley, including the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, while Buffalo and Tampa Bay could consider a boost in their backfield as well.
There is no question that the Giants can get something of value for Barkley during the season. Failing to take advantage of the market available for an in-season upgrade at running back would be irresponsible from Schoen, and he is a smart enough executive to sell high on a player he clearly doesn't want to pay top dollar for in the future.