The New York Giants may be out of the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes — but not the trade sweepstakes altogether.
With just over 24 hours until the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday — 4 p.m. ET — the Giants may be focusing their attention elsewhere.
“It would be a surprise at this point if Jonathan Taylor is traded to the Giants,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote on his official X account on Monday morning. “The most likely move, according to multiple sources across the league, would be for an interior defensive lineman.”
After reports that the Giants pulled their offer to the Colts for Taylor — a 2nd-round pick and a 5th-round pick — we at least know what sort of bargaining chips the Giants are working with, and there’s little doubt that could bring back a standout defensive tackle.
Now, it’s just a matter of which player the Giants want to target.
Harbaugh Made Bold Move for Jeffery Simmons
Giants head coach John Harbaugh already made a bold move for Tennessee Titans All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who was eventually traded to the Chicago Bears for 2 1st-round picks and a 4th-round pick.
“In an unusual move, Giants head coach John Harbaugh called Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk directly in an attempt to trade for All Pro DT Jeffery Simmons,” The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones wrote on X on October 31. “Obviously, it didn’t work.”
The Giants traded away one of the NFL’s dominant interior defensive linemen before the season, sending All-Pro Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for their 2026 1st-round pick.
Best Interior Defensive Linemen Available for Giants
According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, the top two interior defensive linemen who would have been available for trade … have already been traded. Simmons went to the Bears, and the Indianapolis Colts traded DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers.
That might mean a blockbuster trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea.
“Vea is a very powerful interior player who demands attention as a run defender and pass rusher,” Popper wrote. “He is due $23 million guaranteed in 2027, so an acquiring team would be looking at a future commitment. The Bucs, meanwhile, would take on $19.6 million in dead money in 2027.”
Giants Turn Trade Focus From RB to Another Critical Position: Report