Folks, three weeks from this past Tuesday one of the most important days in the history of our nation is taking place: The 2020 NFL Trade Deadline. This is a day that will shape the rest of our league for years to come and still, in 2020, too many people don’t take it seriously.
Giants fans didn’t use to partake in the trade deadline until our deadbeat General Manager decided to trade away a third round pick to get a guy that he could have gotten for free a few months later in Leonard Williams. Quite frankly, I’m nervous that in an effort to bank some wins in a more forgiving part of the schedule during the second half of the season that Dave Gettleman will try and do another deal like that to save his job. This absolutely can not happen.
The Giants have to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline IF the value is right. If they can get an opportunity to get some mid-round draft picks in return for some aging players with moderately bad contracts then they absolutely have to do that. There’s no way around it. Those types of mid-round picks can become the lifeblood of the team if you keep them and don’t trade them away for guys like Leonard Williams.
So let’s get to my trade bait list…
1. Tight End Evan Engram
Evan Engram is number 1 on my trade bait list for a few reasons. The first reason is that he wasn’t drafted by Dave Gettleman and if we know anything about ‘ole Dave is that he hates any player that isn’t his when it comes to putting together a roster. The second is because Engram has not been good at all this season. Through 5 weeks he has just 18 catches for 147 yards. We normally have to wait before he gets hurt for that lack of production sets in.
A team like the New England Patriots would make a perfect trade partner with the Giants for Evan Engram. Their offense lacks speed at the pass catching positions. On top of that, the only tight end with a catch on the Patriots roster is Ryan Izzo and he has 3 catches for 44 yards. This is the same team that used to trot out Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (before we knew he was a bad person) each and every week.
It would absolutely be worth a 3rd-4th round pick for New England to take a chance on Engram. Maybe it’s the Giants scheme, maybe it’s the horrible play of Jones, but Evan Engram could also use a change of scenery.
2. Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard
The main reason why I’m including WR Sterling Shepard on this list isn’t because I don’t think he’s a good player when he’s healthy. While he’s not a fan favorite by any means, he’s always been a solid player for the Giants in his tenure here. That being said, his contract isn’t ideal with three years left and a $6,000,000 dead cap hit in 2021. On top of that, by the time the Giants are good again Shepard may be ready to retire.
A team that needs help at receiver could give up anywhere from a 2nd round pick (really high return) to a 4th round pick to acquire Sterling Shepard’s services. After all, we did see Mohammed Sanu get traded for a second rounder last season which is proof that crazier things have happened.
3. Wide Receiver Golden Tate
Honestly, I just want to get this man off of the Giants. Not only has he caused distractions by *allegedly* taking PED’s and getting suspended in his first season and trying to fight Jalen Ramsey but he’s just such an uninspiring football player. Signing him was a complete mistake to begin with and he’s made virtually no impact on the team since coming in.
He’s the guy who the Giants will trade for a fifth round pick at the trade deadline and the other team’s fans will be excited about getting but then they’ll remember that it’s not 2014 anymore and they’ll be sad.
If Tate isn’t traded this season then he likely won’t survive the purge this offseason as his dead cap number is just $4,700,000.
4. Interior Defensive Lineman Dalvin Tomlinson
A non pass rushing interior defensive lineman with an expiring contract?!?!That sounds like Dave Gettleman’s ultimate fantasy. The issue is that he’s literally the only general manager that would give up a high third round pick for a guy who he could sign for free in 2021. If the Giants were to trade him then they’d likely only be able to get a fourth or fifth round pick.
Tomlinson may be worth keeping around. His market value via Spotrac is just under $10 million per season which will be significantly less than what Leonard Williams is going to want to be paid. In reality you can only keep one of those two guys after this season at that market rate. Tomlinson was drafted by Jerry Reese and Dave Gettleman loves his guys so I wouldn’t be shocked if Gettleman tries to keep Williams and trade Tomlinson at the deadline.
Bonus Trade: Lunch boxes for Lunch pails
As this season gets worse and worse, Joe Judge is going to talk more and more about being a blue collar team that brings their lunch pails to work each and every day regardless of their record. So I’m here to unite all Giants fans and tell you to trade your lunch box for a lunch pail. It’s grittier. It’s tougher. It’s New York.
