Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh will be forced to roll with what they have for the rest of the way, as the Giants failed to swing a big-time deal before the NFL’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Big Blue was especially aggressive on both the running back and interior defensive line market, but asking prices appeared to be too high or not compatible for a team that had already parted with its fourth- (move up to draft Malachi Fields) and fifth-round (to Minnesota for JJ McCarthy) draft picks in 2027.
The Giants did send an offer of a second-rounder in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2028 to the Indianapolis Colts for superstar running back Jonathan Taylor, which they then rescinded.
“We’re willing to pay a price to make our team better, but it’s got to be something that really makes our team better,” Harbaugh said roughly an hour before the deadline. “It’s got to be worth it. If we don’t make a deal, it’d be because we didn’t have anything that we felt good enough about that way.”
What is left is a team that has won two straight games and currently holds a 2.5-game lead atop the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys. They are also trending toward fielding a healthier squad for Thursday night’s primetime matchup against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium.
McCarthy, who suffered a hip injury during Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles, was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice. So were right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (calf), left tackle Andrew Thomas (groin), and star wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee). Second-year running back Cam Skattebo, who will likely act as the Giants’ No. 1 man in the backfield for the remainder of the season, was also a full go on Tuesday after missing Week 9 with a hamstring injury.
If a healthy Skattebo can recreate his heroics from a Week 7 win over the Houston Texans in which he rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown, the Giants’ offense will be in much better shape than Sunday’s outing against Philadelphia. The offensive line was overpowered at times, and McCarthy was sacked five times in the first half.
The interim starting QB has still been a revelation for the 5-2-1 Giants. He’s 2-0 as the starter and, across his first nine quarters of play as Big Blue’s leading man, he’s completed 63.2% of his passes for 622 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a 97.1 rating. Thursday night against the Commanders will be his first start with his new team at home.
“I’m just so blessed to be a part of this team,” McCarthy said on Tuesday. “I can’t thank the Giants organization and the fan base for welcoming me. At the end of the day, I’m running out there to do my job at a high level and go get a win on Thursday night. That’s the only thing I care about.”
After burying the Eagles to 2-7 on Sunday, the Giants have a chance to make the NFC East a two-horse race with a win over the 2-5-1 Commanders. These two sides met in Landover, MD, in Week 5 and gifted each other a 27-27 tie. Skattebo lost a fumble in overtime with the Giants in game-winning field-goal range before the Commanders’ horrendous clock management saw them run out of time deep in New York territory.
Washington is shorthanded, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Star receiver Terry McLaurin and starting running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt are on IR. Still, quarterback Jayden Daniels remains a significant dual threat. In four games since returning from an elbow injury, he has a 100.0 rating, passing for 990 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 152 yards and two scores on the ground.
Finding a way to slow him down would further catapult the Giants’ defense toward top status in the NFL. Dennard Wilson’s unit was stellar against the Eagles and was led by rookie linebacker Arvell Reese’s 12 total tackles and three sacks.
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