The New York Giants’ solid rushing attack has been a positive takeaway from their 0-2 start this season. But down in a hole through the first two weeks of the season, it might not take long for the Giants to begin looking ahead to the future.
The NFL’s trade deadline is rapidly approaching, taking place in early November. The Giants could be sellers at the deadline if their losing ways persist. If they end up moving players for draft capital at the deadline, could they make the surprising decision to reboot their backfield again?
Giants RB Devin Singletary listed a top trade candidate
Dan Graziano of ESPN recently listed Giants starting running back Devin Singletary as a top trade candidate ahead of the 2024 deadline:
“Singletary played for Brian Daboll in Buffalo and has been a true lead back so far this season under Daboll in New York, averaging 5.1 yards per carry,” Graziano wrote. “But the Giants feel like another team that’s more likely to be selling than buying come early November, and they like Tyrone Tracy Jr., whom they drafted in the fifth round out of Purdue. If Tracy comes on strong, the season starts to slip away and someone comes asking for Singletary, you have to think the Giants would at least consider it.”
When entertaining the idea of a possible Singletary trade, it’s difficult to envision where he would be sent. Graziano listed the Cleveland Browns as top suitors for Singletary’s services and also mentioned the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders as potential landing spots.
However, trading Singletary would be a perplexing decision for the Giants as it would leave their already inconsistent offense thin and provide more problems than solutions.
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Trading Singletary would be a perplexing decision
The Giants do have a couple of young backs behind Singletary with second-year rusher Eric Gray and rookie Tyron Tracy Jr., as Graziano mentioned. However, there has been no indication that either one of those running backs is ready to take on a full workload for half of a season.
So far this season, Singletary has been excellent for the G-Men. He has rushed for 132 rushing yards and one touchdown on only 26 carries (5.1 yards per attempt) through the first two weeks of the season. He is also averaging 3.5 yards after contact and has totaled 12 missed tackles forced which ranks second-most in the NFL. Singletary’s 46.2% avoided tackle rate leads all qualified NFL running backs.
Considering the bargain contract the Giants have Singletary signed to, they are getting tremendous value out of their lead rusher. Singletary signed a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the G-Men this offseason. He has a $6.25 million cap hit next season with a $4.75 million salary, making trading Singletary next to impossible.
Realistically, the Giants would not get much in return for Singletary. A mid-round draft pick is not compelling enough to move on from a starting running back who has truthfully been among the best in the NFL to start the season. The Giants should not entertain a trade for Singletary at this year’s deadline.
