WTF Were the Giants Thinking?


Over the last week, the NFL has gone absolutely haywire. So, if you weren’t paying attention to Odell Beckham Jr. posting Joker infused highlight tapes, I don’t blame you. Additionally this past week, Browns players were tweeting high praises of John Dorsey. It looked like something going down…but THIS?!

The shock value of this trade is certainly going to stir for awhile since the fortunes of teams in NFC East and the AFC North have seismically shifted. For the Browns, this is awesome. They are playoff contenders. Not sure what the rules are on this, but make them the Hard Knocks team again.

For the Giants…what the fuck are they doing?

There are two main reasons why the trade for OBJ and their strategy this offseason has not made sense.

1) They did not get enough in return for Beckham. Not even close. I understand if you want to go into rebuild mode (even though you gave OBJ an extension last year) and stockpile draft picks in an attempt to start anew. There was a guy around our parts once (long live Klaus Hinkie) who shipped his bests talent off and parlayed it into draft picks and cap space. But you’re top asset should command a Kings ransom. I applaud the first round pick, they are typically almost impossible to come by. But there should have been way more than two picks and some safety who wasn’t even good in college. Antonio Brown may have depleted OBJ’s worth by imploding in Pittsburgh and getting dumped in Oakland for next to nothing. But, this pennies on the dollar approach shouldn’t be how you handle a generational talent, it’s not how you properly get your rebuild off the ground. Khalil Mack was a generational talent. The Bears gave up a first rounder and a third rounder too…andddd also a another first and a sixth. Demand all you can when you’re blowing things up.

2) Like we just talked about, the Giants seem to be rebuilding…but THEY’RE DOING IT WITH A DECREPIT VETERAN QUARTERBACK. In the past week, the Giants gave away Olivier Vernon and Odell Beckham to the Browns and additionally let Landon Collins walk. That screamsss rebuild. Yet, here they are, with Eli Manning and his $23.2 million cap hit. There are literally two teams IN THE SAME STATE as the Giants building around young quarterbacks through the draft. The Jets have built the complete opposite way (draft the QB, spend in free agency on the RB) and it made so much more sense. The Giants apparently want to do something similar at some point, but still cling to Eli. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dwayne Haskins is on this team in late April because this Eli romance is getting ridiculous.  If you’re going to actually rebuild, you start with getting a legitimate franchise quarterback.

I said it in a post when the Redskins traded for Case Keenum and I’ll say it again. The Patriots have been very fortunate to ALWAYS have bad divisional foes during this incredible run they’re on. Look at the NFC East now. Look how bad it is on paper and how poorly free agency has gone for teams not named the Eagles. Times yours, Carson & Co.

By Aidan Powers | March 13, 2019