Trade Alert: The Giants Are Making Moves
Breaking down the latest trades for the New York Giants
The Giants have been quite active recently in the trade market. Dave Gettlemen and company have decided to shake up the defensive backfield as they make two trades in two days. Let’s break down the latest moves by Big Blue.
GIANTS ACQUIRE KEION CROSSEN
The first of the two moves by the G-men was acquiring cornerback Keion Crossen in exchange for a 2023 6th-round pick. Crossen has played the last two seasons with the Houston Texans. He was drafted in the 7th-round in 2018 by the New England Patriots and was traded to Houston after just one year.
In 2020, Crossen played 307 defensive snaps on top of the 263 snaps he logged on special teams. The Giants have some incredible depth this year at the position, so his biggest impact will most likely come on special teams. He has a chance to showcase that wicked speed he displayed at his Pro Day in 2018 when he ran a 4.33 40-yard dash.
NEGATIVES
The Giants don’t need anymore cornerbacks. Although this trade doesn’t break the bank, I do wonder why Gettlemen had his sights set on Keion Crossen. There is a dire need for offensive line help, but rather than address that, he decides to bolster the depth at cornerback. I think there are some alarming issues with the offensive line but, this trade doesn’t necessarily rule out “Trader Dave” making another move in the coming days.
POSITIVES
This move didn’t cost the Giants much. A 6th-round pick isn’t something you cry about losing if the move makes sense. They got a young cornerback who has wicked speed and experience playing with Joe Judge. He also has the chance to make a really good impact on special teams this year. We know that Judge likes to play to people's strengths, so we will see how Keion Crossen fits in soon enough.
GIANTS ACQUIRE JOSH JACKSON
The second move by the New York Giants was trading for Green Bay Packers cornerback Josh Jackson in exchange for cornerback Isaac Yiadom. Jackson was drafted by the Packers in 2018 and was taken in the 2nd round.
A fresh start for Josh Jackson was needed after a poor performance in his first pre-season outing. He gave up 7 catches for 91 yards on 10 targets. He has struggled to stay in the rotation for the last two years following a decent rookie campaign. In college, Josh Jackson showcased the potential to be a 1st-round pick with his breakout season at Iowa.
NEGATIVES
I don’t see any negatives with this move, other than once again needing depth at other positions. They desperately need help at offensive line, yet Dave Gettlemen continues to make trades for cornerbacks. It has been hard to get inside the mind of Gettlemen in his years as the New York Giants GM, but we will see what is in store!
POSITIVES
This is the definition of a low-risk-high-reward move. Isaac Yiadom struggled last year with the Giants, posting a 56.8 PFF grade. Josh Jackson is struggling as well, but we know sometimes all you need is a fresh start! Jackson, the 2nd-rounder, could potentially live up to that as a Giant. There will not be much pressure as our starting positions are basically locked down. He can come into an environment where he won’t be pushed to live up to those high expectations and that lack of pressure can be huge.
OVERALL
Gettlemen has been quite the busy man. Although he has not addressed a potential hole at offensive line he is still trying to find ways to make us better. Bringing in two more guys to compete on this defense will be exciting to watch. As the regular season quickly approaches, let's see how this roster will look by week 1.