Smoke continues to build about a Giants trade up

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft plus the 39th and 47th overall selections in Round 2.

There is growing speculation that they are open for business and could be a candidate to trade up to snag a player they covet in this draft.

The only position they should be interested in making such a move for is quarterback. The ones worth taking that high up in the draft could all be gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, hence the smoke regarding a possible move up.

The #Giants want a quarterback.

The Giants are willing to trade up for a quarterback.

But will there be a quarterback for the Giants to trade up for? pic.twitter.com/lTTcONnUWD

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 1, 2024

“I would not rule that out,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said about a Giants’ trade-up during his conference call this past week.

“I know you have one more year of Daniel Jones before they could kind of get out of that contract, but I think that would be something that would be very much in play.”

General manager Joe Schoen has made it clear he is open to just about anything that will improve his team and is interested in adding a quarterback if the right situation presents itself.

But… one step at a time, please. The NFL Combine is still ongoing and with the franchise deadline approaching Tuesday and free agency right behind (March 13), there are a lot of moving parts in play.

“Free agency will set the table for some of the decisions we make in the Draft,” Schoen said at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this past week.

“The roster is fluid. We still have free agency. The roster could look a lot different in three weeks from now based on what we do in free agency. So, that’s evolving. It’s hard to answer right now because of the way the roster is going to look, and that’ll help set our plan as we go into the Draft. Some of it’s going to be based on what we do in free agency, and again, the exposure to the players.”

Roster needs will likely take a backseat if one of the three top quarterbacks — USC’s Caleb Williams, Drake Maye of North Carolina, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels — falls to them at No. 6.

It would be interesting to see what Schoen does in free agency. He could land a veteran quarterback (Tyrod Taylor?) and take his chances with him along with Daniel Jones and Tommy DeVito for one more season.

But, playing along with the masses — what would it take for the Giants to move up from, let’s say No. 6 to No. 3? Jeremiah believes it would be a “steep price to pay.”

“For the Giants to get up to the third pick, you’re talking about the sixth overall pick this year. You’re talking about your second-round pick, No. 39, this year, your second-round pick this year at 47, and next year’s (second),” he said. “So it really would cost you three 2s, two this year and one next year.”

For a rebuilding team such as the Giants, is it worth it to take a few steps back in hopes of taking a huge step forward down the road? We’ll soon see.