Reporters suggest Giants could trade down, rather than up, in NFL Draft

Whispers are growing louder hinting that the New York Giants may either be unwilling or unable to move up from the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to selection No. 3 or No. 4 for a top-tier quarterback prospect. 

For a piece published Thursday, Giants reporter Charlotte Carroll and Buffalo Bills reporter Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic suggested that those two clubs could complete a trade that would involve the Giants moving down, rather than up, in the draft order. 

In their scenario, Buffalo would send overall picks No. 28 (first round), No. 60 (second) and No. 128 (fourth) this year along with a 2025 first-round selection to New York in exchange for this year's sixth choice and a 2025 seventh-round pick. 

"Though it’d be difficult to give up a premium pick and the chance to land a star player, the Giants have so many needs to address that stockpiling more premium assets makes a lot of sense," Carroll wrote about the club that finished this past season at 6-11. "Perhaps the biggest reason why starts at quarterback. Adding another first-round pick to their arsenal puts the Giants in position to target a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, early prognostications suggest that next year’s crop of QBs isn’t great, but it’s also way too early to know that for sure."

While much can and will change between now and when the draft opens on the night of April 25, it's widely believed that quarterbacks Caleb Williams (USC), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Drake Maye (North Carolina) and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) will be the first four picks of the player-selection process, assuming a club such as the Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders or Denver Broncos moves up to No. 4 or No. 5 overall for a signal-caller. 

Giants general manager Joe Schoen reportedly is strongly considering moving on from 2023 Week 1 starter Daniel Jones next offseason, so Schoen probably wouldn't pull the trigger on trading down until he knows for sure a quarterback he wants won't be on the board at No. 6. It is also worth noting that the Giants could trade down but remain in the top-10 of this year's draft. 

In a mock draft posted on Monday, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic proposed that the Chicago Bears could trade overall pick Nos. 9 and 75 this year along with a 2025 mid-round selection to the Giants for No. 6. Big Blue could then spend the ninth choice on Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers.

Carroll acknowledged that the Giants moving all the way down into the final several picks of the first round of this year's draft could ultimately cost Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll their jobs if the 2024 team finishes at 6-11 or worse. If, however, Giants co-owner John Mara signs off on such a decision, Schoen could embrace acquiring badly needed assets for his ongoing rebuild, a rebuild that won't be finished in one offseason.