New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has overseen seven NFL Drafts for two different franchise during his long and storied career, and never once has he traded back.
That is poised to change in 2020 as SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano reports that not only is Gettleman open to trading back this year, but is giving it very legitimate consideration.
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.
There are many decisions that need to be made in advance of Gettleman’s decision to either trade down or not, including attendance at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, which will get underway later this month.
What the Giants do in free agency will also alter their draft plans. If they’re able to sign an elite edge rusher or top-end offensive tackle, they may be more inclined to trade back and acquire assets. If they’re unable to sign either, Gettleman may be more likely to go with the No. 1 guy on his draft board when pick No. 4 comes up.
Vacchiano goes on to add that the presence of head coach Joe Judge could also play a significant role in Gettleman’s decision to either trade down or not.
There appears to be four factors at play, according to those sources. One is definitely the arrival of new head coach Joe Judge, who won’t have final say but will have an influential voice in any big, organizational decisions. He comes form the Patriots where Bill Belichick has always been one of the more active draft-day traders, and has never been afraid to trade down or even out of the first round.
Judge figures to be more likely open to a move, even if Gettleman is reluctant. And he’ll have some supporters, too, because of the second factor: A desire in the organization to do things differently, since some of their stuck-in-the-mud ways of the past haven’t worked.
A trade back is no certainty for the Giants, but unlike in years past, it seems like a distinct possibility and something Giants fans should keep a close eye on.
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