The New York Giants don’t control their destiny in this year’s NFL Draft. Picking No. 3 overall, the Giants’ draft plans are largely contingent on the two teams picking in front of them — the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 overall and the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 overall.
Both the Titans and Browns are quarterback-needy, which could throw a wrench in the Giants’ plans as they search for a franchise quarterback this offseason. However, a recent blockbuster trade development out of Cleveland could reshift the first round of the draft, drastically altering the Giants’ plans.
Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett requests a trade
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Cleveland Browns superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett requested a trade on Monday morning. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year released a statement, expressing his appreciation for the city of Cleveland and his desire to win a Super Bowl. Cleveland is not in a win-now position, which has prompted Garrett’s request as the 29-year-old star aims to land on a contending team with an opportunity to win a Super Bowl.
Garrett’s trade request could impact the Giants’ draft plans
Garrett’s trade request could create a ripple through the rest of the NFL. Most importantly for the Giants, his request could alter the Browns’ plans in the NFL Draft, subsequently affecting their own.
Browns could target a pass rusher with the No. 2 overall pick
The Browns hold the No. 2 pick in the draft which could be used to draft a top quarterback prospect. However, with Garrett requesting a trade, this could open up an avenue for the Browns to take the best player available. They could opt to add a quarterback later in the draft or utilize the inevitable haul of draft capital that they would receive for Garrett to draft a quarterback down the line.
Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter is considered by many to be the best player in this year’s draft class. He would be the perfect plug-and-play replacement for Garrett if the Browns were to honor his request and trade him this offseason. Drafting Carter second overall could cause one of the class’s top quarterbacks to fall into the Giants’ lap with the third-overall pick in the draft.
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The NFL Draft’s top quarterback could fall into the Giants’ lap
The Tennessee Titans expressed their desire to land a “generational” prospect at first overall earlier this offseason, prompting many to believe they might pass over a quarterback in favor of a prospect like Carter or Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter. If they stick true to their word and go with the best prospect available, and if the Browns take Carter to replace Garrett, this could create an opportunity for the Giants to have their pick of the top two quarterbacks in this draft class.
Miami QB Cam Ward is widely considered to be the best quarterback in this draft class and, as a result, is often projected to the Titans with the No. 1 overall pick or to the Browns with the No. 2 overall pick. But this recent development opens up an avenue for Ward to fall to No. 3 for the Giants.
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However, the possibility of him going No. 1 or No. 2 still remains. Despite Garrett’s trade, the Browns could attempt to hold onto him anyway and sell him on the idea of turning things around with a new quarterback in the first round.
Regardless, this news should improve the Giants’ ability to draft a quarterback, with it now seeming even less likely that the Browns would draft Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders with the second-overall pick. Deion Sanders has explained before that he will prevent his son Shedeur from being drafted into certain dysfunctional organizations. Garrett’s trade request only furthers the narrative of the Browns being dysfunctional. This could cause Sanders to slip to pick No. 3.