Giants Were Runners-Up For Trent McDuffie; CB Wants ‘Market-Topping Deal’ From Rams
The Rams were not the only team interested in trading for Trent McDuffie. The Giants were close to agreeing to a deal with the Chiefs, but were not willing to give up “first-round plus” value, per The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell.
New York’s exact offer is unknown, but it must have been less than the package sent by Los Angeles. It included the No. 29 selection in April’s draft as well as picks in the third, fifth, and sixth rounds, which comes out to the value of a first-round pick in the early 20s. The Giants would need a different combination of picks to match and were unwilling to do so.
Instead, McDuffie will head to the Rams, who have received permission from the Chiefs to negotiate an extension with the 25-year-old. This is a necessary step to start work on a new contract, as the trade cannot be officially processed until the start of the new league year next week.
McDuffie is seeking a “market-topping deal,” per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and could very well become the highest-paid cornerback in the league, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That would put McDuffie in line for a contract worth over $30.1MM per year after Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner – also 2022 first-rounders – reset the market last year. The former Washington Husky has not been as dominant in coverage as Stingley and Gardner, but he makes a much bigger impact in run support and as a blitzer. He also brings inside-outside versatility, which can allow the Rams to be more flexible in building their secondary.
Los Angeles, having moved significant draft capital for McDuffie, is clearly willing to meet his asking price. McDuffie is owed $13.6MM in 2026 with the same cap hit, which the Rams can comfortable absorb. An extension would lower that number and give general manager Les Snead more money to address other needs in free agency.
Giants Interested In RB Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne; Latest On New York’s FA Approach
While maybe not reaching Kirk Cousins– or Antonio Brown-level PFR volume, Saquon Barkley‘s final years as a Giant took up considerable space here. Giants brass could not extend him in 2022, franchise-tagged the Pro Bowler in 2023 and drew a hard line on his value in 2024 when no offer emerged. The Eagles benefited.
The Giants have since revamped their power structure, and it looks to be affecting their valuation of veteran running backs. With John Harbaugh calling the shots now and Joe Schoen losing considerable power, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes the Giants are believed to be interested in Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne.
[RELATED: Giants Aiming To Trade OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux]
New York is showing considerable interest in beefing up its ground game, with Raanan adding connections to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love have emerged as well. Love is viewed by some as this draft’s top prospect. His positional value will naturally result in a bit of a drop, but the Fighting Irish standout should not need to wait too long before hearing his name called in April. The Giants, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, striking early for a high-end free agent RB would seemingly send Love elsewhere.
With Breece Hall officially franchise-tagged at today’s deadline, Walker is expected to fetch the top RB contract in free agency. Confirming the Giants are interested, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan wonders if the team would be willing to go where that market ends up considering the team has other needs. That could be where Etienne comes in, with some more affordable backs — from Rico Dowdle to Tyler Allgeier to Kenneth Gainwell — set to be available too. Though, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds a “strong” push for a veteran starter-level option should be expected.
Walker, 25, is looking likely to reach free agency. Mutual interest exists between the Super Bowl MVP and the Seahawks, but they lose exclusive negotiating rights at 11am CT March 9, when the legal tampering period begins. Etienne, 27, played out his fifth-year option in Jacksonville and has more career carries — after a higher-volume college career — than Walker. His market should not be as costly, but the five-year Jaguar is better in pass protection and as a receiver.
The Giants have Cam Skattebo signed through 2027, and Tyrone Tracy‘s rookie deal runs through 2026. But Harbaugh is now calling the shots. Schoen said he is still leading the football operation, but Duggan confirmed a recent report that indicates new hire Dawn Aponte reports directly to Harbaugh. Schoen also confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the Giants’ analytics and video departments now report to Aponte, creating a strange dynamic for the contract-year GM. Schoen still oversees the scouting department.
The Giants have had their GMs report to ownership for eons, but they adjusted the long-held structure for Harbaugh, whose imprint on the roster will be felt soon. Schoen did not confirm he would solely run free agency; it can be expected Harbaugh and Aponte will have significant say in that effort. More cap cuts are coming, but the Giants are still interested in retaining some of their own.
Already mentioned as being interested in retaining Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants are seeing what it will take to keep Jermaine Eluemunor and Cor’Dale Flott. Harbaugh said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) the team wants to keep all three UFAs-to-be. The Giants met with David Mulugheta, who represents Eluemunor and Flott, at the Combine, Duggan adds.
Eluemunor, 31, maneuvered for a two-year deal in 2024 — an underrated subplot in HBO’s captivating Hard Knocks: Offseason effort — and it looks likely to work to his advantage. Braden Smith appears to be this market’s top right tackle, but he is coming off three seasons shortened by either injury or illness.
Eluemunor played both RT and LT in New York, starting all 31 games he played from 2024-25. His health stands to create a solid market, as both Smith and Jack Conklin come with notable injury pasts. Eluemunor also began his career with the Ravens, playing for Harbaugh from 2017-18. If Eluemunor departs, Duggan notes the team will be expected to pursue a free agent RT replacement.
Flott, 24, overtook former first-rounder Deonte Banks in Big Blue’s cornerback hierarchy. He outplayed the 2023 draftee opposite Paulson Adebo last season and may do reasonably well on the market. He is one of the youngest corners available. Converted from a slot player to primarily a boundary defender, Flott started 37 games with the Giants.
While Banks’ rookie deal runs through 2026, he has been linked to trade rumors amid a disappointing tenure. Harbaugh’s team will likely pursue an outside replacement if Flott departs. He is expected to draw significant FA interest, per Hughes, which could put the Giants in the market for a replacement.
Schwartz adds the Giants have “varying degrees of interest” in retaining tight end Daniel Bellinger and linebacker Micah McFadden. The Giants are higher on third-year veteran Theo Johnson than most around the league, Duggan adds, to the point Isaiah Likely may not be a strong candidate to follow Harbaugh from Baltimore.
Still, Hughes indicates tight end should be considered a priority in free agency. If Likely is deemed too pricey, the likes of Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo, David Njoku and Dallas Goedert are poised to be available. Will this pursuit be to replace Johnson or complement him?
A 42-game starter on his rookie contract, Bellinger has played at least 51% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in three of his four seasons. He was used more frequently before Johnson’s arrival, however. McFadden started 36 games during his rookie deal but was limited to one in 2025; a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 impacted his free agent stock. The Giants releasing Bobby Okereke tonight and having McFadden unsigned makes linebacker a key need, one of a few the team carries into free agency.
Giants To Release LB Bobby Okereke
NFL teams are continuing to turn over their rosters ahead of free agent. The latest move comes from the Giants, who are planning to release linebacker Bobby Okereke, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The move will save $9MM against the salary cap with $5.46MM in dead money, per OverTheCap. The Giants are currently $1.8MM under the 2026 cap and will need to make additional cuts and restructures to open up their budget for free agency. (New York’s contract structure leaves something to be desired, as they ended up paying Okereke $31MM for three years’ work. Typically, teams backload their contracts more aggressively for bigger potential cap savings in the final season of the deal.)
Okereke, 29, signed a four-year, $40MM contract with the Giants in 2023, which turned out to be a solid value. He immediately took over as the quarterback of the defense and wore the green dot for every snap of his debut season. The seven-year veteran was the team’s leading tackler and posted career-highs in sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, and passes defended. He missed five games in 2024 with a back injury, but still played well when available. In 2025, Okereke returned for a full season and once again led the defense in tackles, though he did not make impact plays as frequently as his first two years in New York.
Once his release is officially processed, Okereke will be free to sign with other teams. His experience should draw him interest on the open market. However, a linebacker market whose growth has slowed significantly in recent years and a strong crop of free agents at the position could limit his earning potential. He should still be able to receive a multi-year deal heading into his age-30 season, though it may not be significantly higher than the last deal he signed – especially considering the growth in the salary cap in the interim.
The Giants, meanwhile, are expected to be “aggressive in finding a replacement” for their starting middle linebacker, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. New head coach John Harbaugh prioritized the position during his 18 years in Baltimore and will likely be looking for a new leader and tone-setter in the middle of his defense. New York currently has just two linebackers under contract in 2026 – Chris Board and Darius Muasau – neither of whom profile as starters for a defense that will need two.
The Giants will have a number of proven linebackers to pursue in free agency, though they will need to free up additional money to do so. Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd, and Devin Bush are younger options who could anchor the defense for multiple years. But the Giants also have the fifth overall pick in April’s draft and could use it on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles after his incredible performance at the Combine. Selecting him and adding one of the many older veterans set to hit the market would give the Giants a veteran green dot-wearer and Styles a mentor as he adjusts to the pros.
Giants Would ‘Prefer’ To Trade Kayvon Thibodeaux
Four years after the Giants spent the fifth overall pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux, the outside linebacker’s time with the club may be nearing an end. The Giants have shown a willingness to listen to offers for Thibodeaux. The sense from teams that have spoken with the Giants is that they would “prefer” to move him, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. League sources expect a trade to occur, per Hughes.
Thanks in part to injuries, Thibodeaux has not met expectations during his NFL career. The former Oregon Duck missed three games in his first season, though he finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting during a 49-tackle, four-sack campaign. Thibodeaux followed that up with a prolific 2023 in which he recorded 50 tackles, 16 QB hits, 12 TFL and 11.5 sacks over 17 games. His health and production have trended in the wrong direction since then.
Thibodeaux was on IR at times in each of the past two seasons, during which he combined for 12 absences and eight sacks. He registered a career-low 2.5 sacks over 10 games in 2025. A shoulder injury shelved him for the Giants’ last seven games.
Now 25, Thibodeaux is on track to reach free agency after next season. In the meantime, he will earn $14.571MM on his fifth-year option in 2026. Giants general manager Joe Schoen saw enough positives from Thibodeaux during his first three years to exercise the option last spring, but his stock has fallen since then. Multiple sources told Hughes it would be a challenge for the Giants to acquire anything above a fourth-rounder for Thibodeaux.
Selling low on Thibodeaux would be unfortunate for Schoen, who used his first draft pick as a GM on him in 2022. But a couple of Schoen’s more recent investments in pass rushers may make it easier to bid goodbye to Thibodeaux. Schoen dealt second- and fifth-rounders to the Panthers in a 2024 package for Brian Burns. He has since amassed 25 sacks, including a career-high 16.5 last season. The GM went on to spend another premium pick, No. 3 overall, on pass rusher Abdul Carter a year ago. With Burns and Carter ahead of Thibodeaux in the pecking order, an offseason trade looks like a strong possibility.
Tremaine Edmunds Generating Trade Interest; Titans, Raiders, Giants Potential Suitors?
The Bears granted linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade last week. It appears a deal has a realistic chance to come to fruition. Edmunds has “strong trade value,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. The Titans, Raiders and Giants all “like” the eight-year veteran, according to Fowler.
[RELATED: Bears Offseason Outlook]
Edmunds entered the NFL as the 16th overall pick of the Bills in 2018. As a 20-year-old rookie, Edmunds piled up 121 tackles, 12 passes defensed, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions over 15 games as a full-time starter. That was the first in a long line of productive seasons for Edmunds, who has started for his entire career.
Now a two-time Pro Bowler, the 27-year-old Edmunds has exceeded 100 tackles in every one of his seasons. He has also notched 59 PDs, 14 picks and 8.5 sacks.
Edmunds may be coming off his final season in Chicago, which took him from Buffalo on a four-year, $72MM offer with $50MM guaranteed in March 2023. At the time, it was the largest four-year deal ever given to an off-ball linebacker. Edmunds stepped in for Roquan Smith, whom the Bears traded to the Ravens during the previous season.
Aside from full campaigns in 2019 and ’24, Edmunds has missed at least some time in every season. While Edmunds sat out a career-worst four games as a result of a groin injury in 2025, he still managed 112 tackles, nine PDs and four INTs. Pro Football Focus rated Edmunds 35th among 88 qualifying players at his position.
Edmunds’ loss would create a hole in the Bears’ defense next to T.J. Edwards. Noah Sewell is a potential in-house replacement, but D’Marco Jackson is a pending free agent. Whether via trade or release, escaping the last season of Edmunds’ contract would be favorable to Chicago’s cap situation. As things stand, the Bears are approximately $6.48MM in the red. Getting rid of Edmunds before June 1 would free up $15MM at the cost of just $2.44MM in dead money. If Edmunds is off the Bears’ roster by Day 5 of the league year, they’ll avoid paying him a $1MM roster bonus.
As for potential suitors, the Titans and Raiders rank top two in the league in spending space. Taking on Edmunds’ money would not be a problem for either. The Giants are only around $2.78MM under the cap, on the other hand.
Edmunds would already be the second significant offseason trade acquisition for the Titans, who sent defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the Jets for defensive end Jermaine Johnson last week. Edmunds and Johnson would give recently hired head coach Robert Saleh two new defensive starters right off the bat.
The Raiders are facing the departure of starting middle linebacker Elandon Roberts to free agency. Fellow LBs Devin White and Jamal Adams are also on track to reach the open market. Meanwhile, the Giants may lose pending free agent Micah McFadden, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 last season. Bobby Okereke has been a full-time starter for the Giants for three years, but he may end up a cap casualty this offseason. If that happens, perhaps Edmunds will slide in as his replacement.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.
Here are PFR’s 2026 rundowns of the 32 teams’ offseason blueprints:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
NFL Scouting Combine Rumors: Reese, McCoy, Giants, Proctor
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese is widely seen as a consensus top 5 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but top five picks don’t usually go to off-ball linebackers. Reese is just the latest in a line of prospects in recent years who made a name for themselves as linebackers in college before ultimately becoming pass rushers in the NFL. He confirmed as much at the NFL Scouting Combine, telling reporters that he would participate in drills for both off-ball linebackers and edge rushers in Indianapolis (per Dane Brugler of The Athletic) but prefers to play outside linebacker and rush the passer (per ESPN’s Turron Davenport).
As a true freshman for the Buckeyes in 2023, concussions and a depth chart that included players like Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg relegated Reese to eight games-worth of special teams duties. When he finally got opportunities on defense as a sophomore, Reese held a role solely as LB3, with only six snaps coming up close to the line as an edge. As a full-time starter in 2025, though, Reese’s time on defense was split nearly down the middle between linebacker and edge rusher with just 41 more snaps coming on the edge. Ohio State endeavored to use Reese where he was most effective this year, and he was their best pass rushing linebacker while sometimes struggling in coverage.
It’s not uncommon these days for star linebackers to make a transition to pass rusher. Sometimes, the NFL’s demands for off-ball linebackers don’t match a prospect’s skillset, sometimes a team’s desire for an elite pass rusher outweighs its need for an elite linebacker, and sometimes players see the disparity of pay between top-paid linebackers and top-paid edge rushers in the NFL and make their decision based on earning potential. Regardless, Reese is set to follow in the steps of Jihaad Campbell, Abdul Carter, and Micah Parsons before him.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of Indianapolis in the past few days:
- Widely seen as one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft and an expected first-round pick, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy did not work out or participate in position drills at the combine with the other defensive backs yesterday, per Jordan Reid of ESPN. After an incredibly impressive true freshman year at Oregon State (two interceptions, seven passes defensed), McCoy transferred to Tennessee for Year 2 and secured first-team All-SEC honors after doubling his freshman pick total and logging nine more passes defensed. After tearing his ACL, McCoy was forced to miss his entire junior year, but he chose to declare for the draft anyway. He has reportedly fully recovered since suffering the injury but will save his workouts for the Volunteers’ pro day.
- There are sure to be lots of passing interests and smokescreens at the combine this weekend, but according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News, the Giants have shown early interest in a few prospects already. After securing key, young offensive weapons like Malik Nabers, Jaxson Dart, and Cam Skattebo in recent drafts, New York reportedly has shown interest in adding another. Leonard indicates USC’s Makai Lemon and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate are names that have drawn the team’s attention in Indianapolis. In addition, though the Giants are currently pretty deep at pass rusher, Tate’s teammate, Reese, was a person of interest for New York, as well.
- Lastly, Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor is one of several linemen that could hear their name called on Day 1 of the draft. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, though, Proctor may not stay on the blindside at the next level. Per Breer, Proctor’s elite size and athleticism make him a potential first-round prospect, but in order to stay at left tackle he’ll need to take advantage of his massive frame without getting slower as he manages his weight. This balancing act combined with a strong down-blocking ability in the run game have some convinced that he may do better at guard or right tackle once he reaches the NFL level.
Former NFL G Justin Pugh Named Italian Football League Commissioner
For the past several years, efforts to expand the international influence of the NFL have grown with the league’s International Series of games. What began in 2007 as an annual trip across the pond has multiplied with games taking place in Mexico starting in 2016, Germany starting in 2022, Brazil starting in 2024, and Spain and Ireland last year. 2026 will see the introduction of France and Australia to the International Series. 
There are other ways to expand the influence of the NFL across the world, though, and according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, former Giants and Cardinals offensive guard Justin Pugh will undertake new efforts in the aim of the expansion of the game. Pugh has reportedly accepted a role as commissioner of the Italian Football League.
Established in 1980, the IFL has completed 44 seasons of American football. In that time, the league has seen 12 different Italian Bowl champions, though just six teams account for 32 of the league’s championships. The league even held Italian Bowl XLII in 2023 at Toledo’s campus stadium, marking the IFL’s first game held outside Europe.
The league has seen its struggles to survive as blueblood franchises frequently defect for competing leagues around the country. In his written statement as the league’s new commissioner, Pugh pledged to accelerate the evolution of the sport across Europe by modernizing the league’s infrastructure, strengthening its governance, and elevating its standards. He asserts that his years of competition in the NFL will help him transform the IFL into a structured, credible, and forward-looking institution “capable of connecting Italian Football to the broader international ecosystem of the game.”
Giants Not Planning Dexter Lawrence Trade; Contract Talks On Tap
Dexter Lawrence did not play up to his standard last season, and the Giants both changed their coaching staff and their front office reporting structure in the offseason. The team appears interested in gauging Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s trade market, but John Harbaugh slammed the door on Lawrence being available.
“He’s super, super important,” Harbaugh said, via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. “He’s a cornerstone football player. He’s not really a cornerstone — he’s more like the middle stone. He’s right in the middle and he’s a very big stone and he’s a very active, athletic stone … We want him. We need him.”
[RELATED: Assessing Giants’ Offseason Blueprint]
Lawrence was by far the top asset exchanged in the 2019 Odell Beckham Jr. trade, being the first-round pick the Giants obtained for Beckham that year. The Giants extended the All-Pro defensive tackle in 2023, handing out a four-year, $90MM deal that included $46.5MM guaranteed at signing.
Lawrence, 28, earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and ’23 before tallying a career-high nine sacks in 2024. Last season, the Clemson product only registered a half-sack and tallied a career-low eight QB hits (after recording at least 16 from 2022-24).
While Dave Gettleman drafted Lawrence, Joe Schoen completed the extension. That was a recurring trend early in Schoen’s GM run, with Andrew Thomas and Daniel Jones being paid in 2023 as well. Lawrence’s deal, however, paid out its guarantees last year. As a result, Schoen said (via Duggan) he will meet with Lawrence’s camp this week.
With a trade seemingly off the table — though, Schoen confirmed (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he will answer calls — extension would allow the Giants to reduce a $26.96MM Lawrence cap number.
“I’m not sure the elbow was great all (of 2025); I think that bothered him a little bit,” Schoen said. “The defense, as a whole, I felt like could have played better. So it’s definitely not Dexter. Nine sacks might have been an outlier before so the expectation rises. That’s rare for a nose tackle. That’s insane for a nose tackle to get nine. It’s in there. He still has a lot of good years left.”
A dislocated elbow sidelined Lawrence late in the 2024 season, with the standout NT reaching nine sacks in just 12 games. The Giants added incentives to Lawrence’s deal last summer. With some updates on the D-tackle market taking place over the past two offseasons, Lawrence’s $22.5MM AAV now ranks 11th among interior D-linemen. Praise from Harbaugh and Schoen this week will do well to arm Lawrence’s camp, even though his down 2025 season does not create considerable momentum for a new deal.
Lawrence’s cap number could do some of the work for him, however. The Giants could also complete a restructure on this contract, but they have historically been against joining the void years trend. That could be good news for Lawrence. Since Aaron Donald‘s retirement and the Raiders’ quick Christian Wilkins cut, the DT market features a gulf between Chris Jones ($31.75MM AAV) and the field; Milton Williams‘ $26MM-per-year contract is second at the position. A Lawrence extension would presumably land in that valley.
Giants Willing To Hear Trade Offers For Kayvon Thibodeaux
FEBRUARY 26: After just two days of the Combine, Thibodeaux has become a “name to keep an eye on,” for a potential trade, per SNY’s Connor Hughes. With Burns and Carter as their starting edge rushers, Thibodeaux may not be in the long-term plans of the Giants’ new regime. They will listen to trade offers, with some around the league expected Thibodeaux to eventually be dealt to another team.
FEBRUARY 24: Kayvon Thibodeaux was the subject of trade talks leading up to the deadline. No deal was reached, leaving him on course to remain with the Giants in 2026.
New York picked up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option last spring. As a result, he is due $14.75MM next season. A full-time starting gig does not await in this case, but the former No. 5 selection appears to still be in the Giants’ plans at this point.
“Right now, Kayvon’s gonna be with us,” general manager Joe Schoen said at the Combine on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “He played well. He is going into his fifth year, and he’s motivated, and you can’t have enough pass rushers.”
Thibodeaux appeared to hit his stride during his second Giants season, posting 11.5 sacks and 35 quarterback pressures. The Oregon product has missed notable time through injury during both of his subsequent campaigns, however. Thibodeaux played 12 games in 2024 before managing 10 this past year. With only eight sacks across that span, he is not in position to operate as an edge rushing anchor for New York.
Brian Burns has proven to be an effective trade acquisition for the Giants. The former Panther has been a strong producer in two New York seasons, and he posted a career-high 16.5 sacks in 2025. Meanwhile, Abdul Carter saw his usage rate increase late in the year and he managed most of the output from his four-sack season down the stretch. Carter, selected third overall last spring, figures to pair with Burns as the Giants’ top edge rushers for years to come.
That leaves Thibodeaux in an interesting position. The 25-year-old has logged a snap share of at least 72% every year to date, but a path to a larger workload would only exist in the event of an injury to Burns and/or Carter. Extending Thibodeaux given his spotty track record would carry risk, while finding a trade partner willing to part with notable draft capital would no doubt be a challenge. Schoen noted (via Dan Duggan of The Athletic) no trade talks have occurred so far this offseason.
Free agency is set to include a number of veteran pass rushers like Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. Several younger options are on track to reach the market for the first time, and suitors could prefer to invest in them rather than acquiring Thibodeaux. In that case, efforts to work out a new Giants pact would be something to watch for.