The New York Giants can’t let the positivity generated from their 4-2-1 start make them forget they still have a core problem, a lingering issue that could be solved by a “cheap” trade for a “dominant” veteran.
A deal for Arizona Cardinals’ defensive tackle Roy Lopez fits both of those parameters. That’s according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.
Popper detailed how “The Cardinals signed Lopez to a two-year, $10.5 million deal in free agency, and he has made good on that contract through six weeks. Lopez has shown some dominant play as a run defender at times this season. The Cardinals would take on $2 million in dead money in 2027 if they traded Lopez before the deadline. A good, cheap option for a team in need of run defense help on the interior.”
The Giants are listed among the best landing spots for Lopez ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10. None of the other potential suitors have as big a need as the Giants because of a still potentially fatal flaw up front.
Giants Should Explore Irresistible Trade for Roy Lopez
Big Blue should fully explore a trade for Lopez because any deal ought to appeal to the team’s two primary decision-makers. Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen would surely find Lopez’s modest $1.17 million cap hit for this season too good to resist.
Head coach John Harbaugh would likely welcome the 29-year-old D-lineman because of his expertise in stopping the run. Lopez is a beefy, 6-foot-2 and 312-pounder who can play over the ball or head-up against guards.
He was against a guard when Lopez made this outstanding run stuff against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, highlighted by Nate Tice of Yahoo! Sports. Tice noted “Roy Lopez (#51) has been putting this on film for years now.”
The former Houston Texans and Detroit Lions’ nose guard is tied for the third-most run stops in the league with 14, according to Pro Football Focus.
Otito Ogbonnia 16 Jeffery Simmons 15 DJ Reader 15 Jordan Davis 14 Roy Lopez 14
It’s notable the list also includes the Giants’ starting zero-technique D.J. Reader. The latter’s been stout against the run at times, but Reader alone can’t fix what’s still a soft rush defense.
New Faces Haven’t Solved Old Problem
Reader is one of several new faces for the Giants up front. Journeyman veteran Shelby Harris is also in the lineup, along with massive former Baltimore Ravens nose tackle C.J. Okoye. The team also finally made the addition of an 85-game starter official.
It’s a big group, but the overhauled front hasn’t solved an old problem. Harbaugh’s Giants are still a soft touch on the ground, where the defense is allowing 4.8 yards per carry. This is now the fifth season in a row when the Giants have surrendered at least 4.6 yards per rush.
The unwanted trend explains why they are floated as a trade suitor for several experienced run-stuffers. Including a “stout” former teammate of recently moved three-time Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.
Another trade scenario involves the Giants reuniting with a veteran run-clogger. This idea fits a general theme. One where the Giants should shore up their familiar vulnerability before the trade deadline.
Schoen and Harbaugh risk a legitimate chance to take control of the NFC East if they don’t dip into the market for at least one accomplished run defender. The Giants won’t find many options combining production and price as well as Lopez.
Giants Named Fit for ‘Cheap’ Trade for ‘Dominant’ Problem-Solver