On Sunday, the New York Giants will take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. It will be the final game the Giants play before the NFL trade deadline.
The Giants have expressed that they are open to making calls about any player who could potentially help them secure their first division title since the 2011 season.
While a majority of New York’s trade deadline conversation has revolved around what players the Giants might add, it is also possible that the team moves away from some of the players on the back end of their roster.
Now, one Giants analyst included a former Giants third-round pick, who has not performed up to expectations, as a player the team might move at the deadline.
New York Giants May Cut Ties With Defensive Tackle Darius Alexander
Giants on SI’s Patricia Traina listed three New York Giants players who could be on the move at the trade deadline. Among those players was 2025 third-round pick Darius Alexander.
Traina wrote: “This might sound contradictory given how we have pounded the table for the Giants to add defensive line depth. Still, we were talking about defensive line depth that can be productive against the run, which, unfortunately, Alexander, the Giants’ third-round pick in 2025, has struggled to provide.
After coming on strong at the tail end of his rookie season, Alexander was perfectly positioned to earn a starting role on the defense. Instead, he has slowly fallen out of favor, largely because of his struggles in run defense.”
Traina added: “Currently, Alexander ranks 49th in run defense grades among defensive linemen with at least 50 run-defense snaps. He also has a 3.6% run stop rate, which ties him for 111th in the same 133-player sample.
Things were so shaky for him that he was even a healthy scratch in the Giants’ Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
What Alexander can give a team is something in the pass rush. He has six pressures on the year, which puts him tied for 79th out of 88 defensive linemen with at least 100 pass-rush snaps.
It’s not much, but the Jacksonville Jaguars, whom the Giants face in Week 11, recently lost defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton to a season-ending quad injury, so they may be interested in doing business with the Giants again.”
Darius Alexander’s 2026 Season
Alexander has started only one game this season and has registered 0.5 sacks, seven combined tackles and one quarterback hit.
As Traina referenced, the New York Giants have struggled with their defensive line depth this season. Unfortunately, Alexander has not been a part of the solution. The team is aware that it lacks options on the interior defensive line, as they were reportedly interested in Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne before he suffered a season-ending injury at practice.
Perhaps Alexander’s future with the Giants depends on whether New York manages to acquire defensive line help at the deadline. If so, the Giants may be inclined to flip the second-year player for a draft pick.
Giants May Cut Ties With Disappointing Draft Pick at Trade Deadline