Giants Players Who Should Be on the Trade Block After Week 3

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Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

After an 0-3 start, the New York Giants have been given just a 6.3 percent chance to win the NFC East and an 8.4 percent chance to make the playoffs by Football Outsiders. 

The franchise showed some signs of life under Joe Judge in his inaugural season, but that has not translated into wins this season. A 17-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was the latest heartbreaker, and things aren’t getting any easier with road trips to New Orleans and Dallas on the horizon and the undefeated Los Angeles Rams after that. 

There’s a real chance this team is 0-6 when the trade deadline starts to heat up. 

If that’s the case, the Giants should definitely be sellers. If they can flip a player or multiple players who are going to be expensive or simply don’t fit this team’s timeline for contention into a draft pick, they should be interested. 

At this point, developing young players and stockpiling draft picks is the next step forward. 

Here, we’ll take a look at three players who could be on the block for the Giants who could net something in return. 

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The up-and-down relationship between Evan Engram and the New York Giants fanbase was never tenser than it was on Sunday in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Engram caught just two of his six targets, lost a fumble and was booed multiple times by fans and cheered when he left the field.

When asked about the treatment from fans, Engram answered the questions from the media tactfully: 

“Obviously, it’s not ideal and it’s something you don’t want to see or hear. But, that’s my focus—is playing better football for my teammates and my team and giving the fans and our supporters something to cheer about and something to be proud about on the field.“

Engram is a physically gifted pass-catcher. At 6’3″ and 234 pounds, he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. That combination of size and speed has never fully materialized in New York, though. 

He has only played all 16 games once in his career and has never put up better numbers than he did in his rookie campaign when he had 64 catches, 722 yards and six touchdowns. 

His time in New York should be coming to an end. Both parties are in need of a fresh start, and he should attract attention from clubs who believe they can unlock his potential. 

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Terrance Williams/Associated Press

Logan Ryan would be difficult to trade away. He’s a captain, has played pretty well in transitioning to safety with the Giants and is familiar with Joe Judge going back to their days together in New England. 

But the fact remains that the Giants aren’t in a position to win now, Ryan is 30 years old and still has three more years on his deal. The price is ready to go up, too. He goes from a $4 million cap hit in 2021 to a $12.2 million hit in 2022. 

Right now, Ryan rarely comes off the field. He’s played 98 percent of the team’s defensive snaps and is tied for the team lead with 25 tackles. 

However, that means that his trade stock is going to be as high as it is going to get. Right now, he’s a tradeable asset with a manageable cap hit who can help a team that is in contention. 

If the Giants wait a year and continue to rely on him this season, he’ll be much more expensive and a year older. They also have a promising trio of younger safeties in Xavier McKinney, Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love. 

Dealing Ryan would allow them to get those three on the field more and build toward the future. 

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Terrance Williams/Associated Press

Keeping with the theme of players who have been good for the organization but could clear the way for younger options, Sterling Shepard could be a surprising trade candidate when the deadline approaches. 

Shepard started the season on a tear in the first two weeks. He posted 16 catches on 19 targets for 207 yards and a touchdown. However, he went out of Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury after catching two balls for 16 yards. 

Shepard’s injury shouldn’t come as a surprise. He’s had a hard time staying on the field in each of the last two seasons. He made 10 appearances in 2019 and 12 in 2020. His injuries have included concussions and turf toe, so it isn’t one major injury but rather the collection of several smaller ailments that is concerning. 

He’s provided a safe and consistent option for Daniel Jones, but he’s going to continue to cost them more money. He goes from a $5 million cap hit in 2021 to a $12.5 million hit in 2022. 

Once Shepard is healthy, the Giants would be better off to sell high while he’s putting up good numbers than pay him what his contract stipulates beyond 2021. 

      

All snap counts and advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.