When Dave Gettleman traded with the New York Jets for Leonard Williams, he cost the New York Giants a high third-round pick and a fourth-rounder, given they re-sign him before the new league year.
With Williams reportedly looking for a $15 million per season deal, the reality of signing him is becoming bleaker, however, the draft capital Gettleman spent cannot be regained. If Williams walks, they will likely earn a pick in the mid-90s as a compensatory selection, but trading back in the draft would inject more draft capital into their holdings.
SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano stated:
He “seems more open to the idea†of trading back this year — even in the first round, according to a source familiar with the Giants thinking. And a team source, while saying it’s all wildly premature and there have been no actual trade discussions, acknowledged a rare trade back in the first round can’t be ruled out.
The New York Giants need to be strategic:
Depending on how the Giants approach free agency will drastically alter their draft plans, as they have the option of selecting Clemson standout defender Isaiah Simmons or trading back and collecting picks. The offensive line needs allocations, and so does the defense, but Gettleman has plenty of ammo to utilize in the coming months.
Gettleman must be open to doing something he’s never done before in the draft, and that’s trading back. With two quarterback hungry teams sitting right behind Big Blue (Miami Dolphins & Los Angeles Chargers), the Giants are in a prime position to trade back and still land a player like Simmons.
A little luck will be needed to perfect their strategy, but they may walk away with a top defender and tackle in the first round. An article I wrote recently detailed how the Giants can add a second-round pick and combined their existing pick to move into the first round and draft a tackle prospect like Mekhi Becton.