Giants Eyeing Trade-Down Move From No. 5; Other Teams Interested In Trading Back
Closely connected to Jeremiyah Love and Caleb Downs at No. 5 overall, the Giants are launching a new regime centered around John Harbaugh. Coming off a 3-14 season and not entering free agency as one of the most cap-rich teams, the Giants still have holes to fill.
New York also does not hold a third-round pick, trading it to the Texans in the deal that gave New York Jaxson Dart access last year. The Giants are (again) in prime position to snare one of the top talents in a draft class. This is certainly not atypical, as the Giants have walked out of recent drafts with Abdul Carter, Malik Nabers, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Andrew Thomas and Saquon Barkley. They also made two more top-10 picks in this span, selecting Daniel Jones and Evan Neal. This brigade of high-level prospects has not mattered much for Big Blue in the grand scheme.
Harbaugh represents the latest organizational pivot, as the team hopes an experienced leader can help put pieces together in a way the recent run of less seasoned coaches could not. The Giants could land yet another upper-crust prospect, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes a belief exists the team would prefer to trade down a few spots to accumulate more draft capital.
The Giants hold Nos. 5 and 37 but do not pick again until No. 105. While they have been tied to Love, Downs, Sonny Styles and Carnell Tate, Raanan adds cornerback is a position where the team is doing homework. LSU’s Mansoor Delane visited the Giants on Thursday, and they are digging into Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy as well. McCoy missed all of last season with an ACL tear but has rehabbed to the point he will be ready to go as a rookie. McCoy clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash time at the Volunteers’ pro day and is expected to be drafted by the middle of Round 1 at the latest.
Neither player profiles as one requiring an investment at No. 5, however, and the Giants could be angling to find teams interested in climbing up for a prospect in an effort to recoup a Day 2 pick or two. We are, of course, in prime smokescreen season. The Giants are obviously far from certain to move down and pass on one of this draft’s top prospects, and the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy adds Love and Downs (in that order) may be the top players in the team’s draft queue. We heard Giants-Love connections earlier, with Downs and Styles also drawing extensive attention from the team — as Harbaugh’s former club valued the safety position highly.
New York gave Paulson Adebo a three-year, $54MM deal in free agency last year and signed Greg Newsome to a one-year, $8MM pact last month. Newsome profiles as more of a stopgap than a Cordale Flott successor, and the Giants look to have missed on 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks. Adebo being brought in before Harbaugh’s staff arrived also probably affects the team’s CB interest in this draft.
The Giants also might not find too many teams with appetites to surrender assets and move up. With no quarterback beyond Fernando Mendoza compelling teams to consider big-ticket trade-up offers and the likes of Love, Styles and Downs at non-premium positions, there might be a shortage of trade action early. The teams that follow the Raiders in the top five — the Jets, Cardinals, Titans and Giants — are believed to be interested in moving down to add assets, SI.com’s Albert Breer said in an interview with The Ringer’s Todd McShay, but trade partners are not plentiful right now.
Drafting Love, Styles or Downs this high do not bring the type of contractual advantage identifying a top-shelf pass rusher, wide receiver or tackle — positions usually populating this draft space — would provide. And trading assets to acquire one of these players compounds this issue, potentially creating a scenario in which we do not see much trade action early. Breer adds the trade movement in this year’s draft may begin around No. 10.
It is obviously not a lock the draft will play out this way, and veteran insider Jordan Schultz has been told this could be a trade-heavy draft. Schultz points to a potential “flurry” of activity in the first half of Round 1, citing sources informing him of modest depth in the later rounds. While it is true the present college landscape keeping players in school longer has depleted draft classes — with mid-20-somethings populating the later rounds and UDFA classes — others have spoken of this class’ depth at certain positions.
It will be interesting to hear if more trade chatter picks up over the next two weeks. That is generally the case, and even without a quarterback driving action (as Drake Maye did with the Giants and Vikings in 2024), trade buzz promises to pick up in the coming days.
NFL Announces 16 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 16 players waiting in the green room when the NFL Draft kicks off later this month. The NFL announced the following attendees for the first night of the draft (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport):
- LB David Bailey, Texas Tech
- DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
- DB Mansoor Delane, LSU
- DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
- DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
- DB Colton Hood, Tennessee
- WR Makai Lemon, USC
- RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
- DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
- OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
- LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
- QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
- LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
- WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
- WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Of the 16 prospects invited to Day 1 of the draft, a whopping five of them are from one school: Ohio State. For comparison’s sake, the leader during last year’s draft was Alabama, who sent three prospects ot the green room. The Big Ten is the leading conference, with six prospects attending the first night of the draft.
Notably, expected first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza won’t be attending the draft, as the Indiana quarterback revealed that he’ll instead be celebrating with friends and family in Atlanta. That only leaves one signal-caller attending the event in Alabama’s Ty Simpson. There’s no guarantee that Simpson will even be selected on the first night of the draft, a situation we saw most recently when green-room attendee Jalen Milroe fell to the third round last year.
Bengals To Meet With RB Jeremiyah Love
The Bengals have seen 2023 fifth-round pick Chase Brown become a three-down player, and the sides have begun extension talks. Cincinnati also sits at No. 10 overall this year. That is not seen as optimal placement for grabbing this draft’s top running back.
But Cincinnati is playing host to Jeremiyah Love on a “30” visit, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating that meeting is taking place today.
It would take a few teams passing on the impact talent for Love to reach Cincinnati, but the Notre Dame product does play a position that many teams devalue. That said, the Giants (No. 5) and Commanders (No. 7) have been closely connected to the dual-threat back. Love also visited the Titans recently. If the Bengals want to pair Love with Joe Burrow, they would likely need to trade up. The Jets met with Love recently as well, though they are being tied more closely to Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 2.
Scoring 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Love amassed 1,652 scrimmage yards in 2025 and 1,362 in 2024. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in both seasons. Love sits second on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, trailing only Fernando Mendoza there.
Love is viewed as the only first-round-caliber RB in this year’s class, giving the teams that do not snag him in the top 10 needs that will need to be addressed on Days 2 and/or 3. Love’s Notre Dame backup last season, Jadarian Price, is viewed as this draft’s second-best back. Beyond the two former Fighting Irish teammates, no RBs reside in Jeremiah’s top 50. ESPN’s most recent mock sends Love to the Giants, while Price goes to the Vikings at No. 49. Illustrating the top-heavy construction of this RB crop, ESPN has no other backs going off the board until No. 96 (Arkansas’ Mike Washington).
One season remains on Brown’s rookie contract. He has outplayed his fifth-round slot, totaling 1,356 and 1,450 scrimmage yards over the past two seasons while scoring 11 TDs in each campaign. The Bengals reacquired Samaje Perine to back him up last year; one season remains on the veteran’s contract. The team also rosters 2025 sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks.
Jets Meet With RB Jeremiyah Love
While the Jaguars and Seahawks respectively let Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker leave in free agency, the Jets kept Breece Hall off the market via the franchise tag. Hall extension talks are slated for after the draft.
It would stand to reason the Jets will go just about anywhere but running back at No. 2 overall, and a few tantalizing options await the rebuilding team in that draft slot. New York has been primarily linked to pass rushers there. But the team is still doing its due diligence on the top prospects who will be available at 2.
[RELATED: Jets Hopeful About Hall Extension]
Running back Jeremiyah Love met with the Jets over breakfast recently, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Saquon Barkley and Reggie Bush are the only running backs to be drafted in the top two over the past 20 years, and while Love’s floor may be the Commanders at No. 7 (with the Giants viewed as heavily in play at 5), it would be a near-shocking development to see him go to the Jets at No. 2.
A scenario in which the Jets trade down slightly from 2 and select Love could conceivably be in play, though a team with many needs doubling up at running back would be a questionable roster-building route. Then again, this Jets regime did not draft Hall. A tag-and-trade transaction would stand to be in play if the Jets made the unlikely decision to draft Love, but teams will have largely filled their running back needs by the time the draft ends. If the Jets were going to make such a move with Hall, striking before free agency would have been the better plan. But it seems likely an extension comes to fruition.
Scoring 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Love amassed 1,652 scrimmage yards in 2025 and 1,362 in 2024. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in both seasons and exits South Bend with 433 carries, keeping his mileage relatively low for a prospect on this level (Barkley left Penn State with 671 career totes).
The Jets have been more closely tied to Arvell Reese or David Bailey at No. 2, with previous intel pointing to — especially after the Jermaine Johnson trade — New York going with an edge rusher with this premium draft slot. The Jets met with Reese last week. Love will be likely to follow Bijan Robinson as a top-eight pick, but if he is to head to the Big Apple, it will be more likelier he dons a blue uniform for his home games than a green one.
RB Jeremiyah Love Unlikely To Last Beyond Commanders At No. 7?
Jeremiyah Love is widely understood to be one the most talented prospects in the 2026 class. Gauging where running backs will land in a draft is always difficult, but in this case a drop out of the top 10 order appears unlikely.
[RELATED: Love Could Be Giants’ Top Target]
The Commanders have frequently been mentioned as a logical landing spot for Love. The Heisman finalist would add an impact to any offense, but joining Washington would allow him to immediately contribute on the ground and in the passing game. Multiple personnel who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora believe the Commanders – who own the seventh overall pick – are the floor in Love’s case.
“He’s exactly what that offense needs,” one evaluator said. “The draft is about supply and demand and who really needs a running back. The GM [Adam Peters] comes from San Francisco. They made the trade for [Christian] McCaffrey.”
Peters is indeed familiar with high-end running back acquisitions and the implications of building an offense around an elite player at the position dating back to his 49ers tenure. Washington’s backfield has undergone a number of changes so far this offseason, with Chris Rodriguez departing and the likes of Rachaad White and Jerome Ford being added. Drafting Love would leave the Commanders with other notable roster holes, but it would give the team a long-term offensive pillar if all went according to plan.
During each of his sophomore and junior campaigns at Notre Dame, Love averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. He topped 1,300 scrimmage yards in each season, totaling 40 touchdowns between 2024 and ’25. Love earned first-team All-American honors for his final college campaign and he will be counted on contribute early and often at the NFL level.
Peters’ team went from a surprise trip to the NFC title game to a 5-12 season in 2025. Rebounding will depend on factors such as the health of quarterback Jayden Daniels and the strength of his supporting cast. A receiver move will remain something to watch for, but interest in Love – though a top 30 visit or otherwise – could also develop in the near future.
RB Jeremiyah Love At Top Of Giants’ List?
Drafting running backs early in the first round is back in style. Ashton Jeanty went at No. 6 last year, and in 2023, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs went eighth and 12th overall, respectively. This year’s draft is expected to add another name to the list.
The running back most likely to continue this trend in 2026 is Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love. Tennessee has been a popular projection, as both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are in the final years of their contracts. However, as ESPN’s Jordan Reid notes, Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi came up in a Chiefs front office that prioritized premium positions with premium draft picks. Taking a running back with the No. 4 pick – especially with needs at more valuable positions – would fly in the face of that philosophy.
If the Titans pass on Love, he will likely wind up in New York, according to Reid’s colleague, Matt Miller. New Giants head coach John Harbaugh may not have such qualms about Love’s position with more of an emphasis on his game-changing talent. He consistently prioritized a strong ground game in Baltimore, though the Ravens never drafted a running back in the first-round during his tenure.
Were New York to choose him, Love would immediately have the best draft pedigree of anyone in the Giants’ running backs room. Veteran Devin Singletary currently holds that honor as a former third-round pick out of FAU. Eric Gray and Tyrone Tracy were fifth-round picks in back-to-back years for New York, in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Singletary and Gray are also set to play on the final years of their contracts. Combined with last year’s fourth-round rookie, Cam Skattebo, there are plenty of mouths to feed, but inserting Love into the room immediately would change the outlook for the current players’ roles in the room.
If running back isn’t the answer in New York, the team’s top decision makers could start the trend for another position that isn’t notoriously taken early on Day 1. Harbaugh was part of a large contingent that attended the Ohio State Pro Day on Wednesday. It was notable enough to see Harbaugh there, given he hasn’t frequented many pro days in recent years, but in Columbus, Harbaugh, team owner Chris Mara, general manager Joe Schoen, assistant general manager Brandon Brown, and player personnel director Tim McDonnell all showed up to evaluate Buckeyes, and Harbaugh was seen getting some face time with standout safety Caleb Downs, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
The highest a safety has ever been drafted was second overall in 1991, when Eric Turner‘s name was called by the Browns. Since then, only two other safeties have even been drafted in the top five picks of the draft, Sean Taylor in 2004 and Eric Berry in 2010. Downs could be the next to join that list if the Giants decide to write his name down a month from now. Harbaugh’s defenses in Baltimore almost always featured strong safety play from names like Ed Reed, Eric Weddle, and Kyle Hamilton. Downs may be just the man to upgrade Big Blue’s defensive outfield in 2026.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love Visited Titans, Giants
Drafting running backs early in the first round has gone in and out of fashion over the last decade. From 2015 to 2018, six running backs were selected within the first 15 picks; since then, only three have been taken that high, all in the last three drafts.
2026 prospect Jeremiyah Love could be the fourth with apparent interest from multiple teams with top-10 selections. He visited the Titans at the beginning of March (via NFL insider Jordan Schultz) and the Giants this past weekend (also via Schultz).
The hype train for Love took off at the Combine in Indianapolis, where his 4.36-second 40-yard dash and smooth hands and footwork in pass-catching drills attracted the attention of several teams.
“The NFL loves Jeremiyah Love,” NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe said in early March. “I spoke with execs for three different teams who said that Jeremiyah Love is the best player in this draft. The Notre Dame running back should go in the top 10, and the word I’m hearing, don’t be surprised if he goes in the top five.”
Selecting a running back with such a high pick will no doubt draw criticism based on positional value. Running backs earn significantly less than other positions like wide receiver and edge rusher that have a more direct impact on the passing game. Ashton Jeanty, taken with the No. 6 pick last year, immediately became the NFL’s 12th-most expensive running back, per OverTheCap, greatly reducing the financial advantage offered by rookie contracts.
Taking Love in the top 10 would result in a similar inefficiency. A top-five selection would result in the most guaranteed money ever for a running back being handed to a rookie before he plays a single down in the pros.
However, as Wolfe notes, the 2026 draft class is viewed as thin on truly elite prospects. Love is one of the few, so rather than pursue a less talented player at a more valuable position, teams could opt to land a potential game-changing running back with the hopes that he can have a similar impact as Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have in Atlanta and Detroit, respectively.
Saints Rumors: Taylor, Jordan, Davis, Rattler, Carr, Kamara
Although Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor drew considerable interest in the run-up to last season’s trade deadline, New Orleans kept the 2022 second-rounder in the fold, which suggested he may be a candidate for a second contract with the club. However, it appears Taylor will be playing elsewhere next season.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell recently reported that the Saints expect Taylor, who just finished his rookie deal, to test the open market. Several days later, the player himself published a post on X that reads, “New Orleans – thank you for letting me shine in ‘The Big Easy.’”
That certainly sounds like Taylor has played his last snap for the Saints, who will need to address the nickel corner position in free agency or the draft. Terrell expects the 27-year-old to have a strong market thanks to an impressive platform campaign in which he boasted 1.0 yards per coverage snap and -1.4 EPA allowed. Terrell wonders if that performance is sustainable in light of Taylor’s less impressive prior body of work, but it appears as if that will be another team’s concern.
New Orleans did meet with Taylor’s camp at the combine, along with reps for fellow pending free agents Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan. Like Taylor, Jordan will hit the open market for the first time in his career, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Now entering his age-37 season, Jordan is the Saints’ franchise leader in games played (243). The New Orleans stalwart and 2010s All-Decade Team member turned back the clock in 2025 by posting 10.5 sacks, reaching double-digits for the first time in that department since 2021. The defensive end is therefore sure to draw outside interest, and he is reportedly open to leaving Louisiana. With nearly $150MM in career earnings but no Super Bowl ring to his name, it would be fair to expect a club that profiles as a more obvious championship contender than the Saints to pique Jordan’s interest (although it does not sound as if the door to a 16th season with New Orleans is entirely closed).
Davis is also going into his age-37 season, and as Terrell notes, he has not offered any public remarks as to whether he would like to stay with the Saints or sign with another team. New Orleans wants to retain the two-time Pro Bowler, who just set a career-high with 143 tackles in 2025 (which marked the ninth straight season in which the durable linebacker recorded over 100 stops). The Jets are said to be interested in a reunion with their 2012 draftee.
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough flashed enough in his rookie year to make the Saints believe he can be the long-awaited heir to Drew Brees, and that makes 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler a trade candidate. The Jets were also mentioned as a possible Rattler suitor, but Terrell says New Orleans has not yet received any calls on the 14-game starter. Ditto Derek Carr, who is amenable to coming out of retirement if the right opportunity presents itself.
Carr, who will turn 35 later this month, is still under Saints control, so a trade would need to be worked out if he is to continue his playing career. We recently heard there is a tepid market for his services, though, and Terrell confirms that – at least as of the end of this year’s scouting combine – the Saints had not heard from other teams or even from Carr’s own representation. Terrell says it would cost somewhere in the range of a third- to fifth-round pick to acquire Carr.
Now that they have their starting QB in place, Terrell says the Saints hope to focus on a rushing attack that was among the league’s least productive in 2025. New Orleans finished with the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the league last year, as RB1 Alvin Kamara generally underwhelmed over the first 11 games of the season and then missed the final six contests due to an MCL sprain. As we get closer to the draft, Terrell expects to see increased speculation connecting Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love to New Orleans and its No. 8 overall pick.
Known for their bloated salary cap figures that require offseason gymnastics to get into cap compliance, the Saints did not have nearly as much work to do this year. As Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported, the Saints restructured the contracts of DE Chase Young, S Justin Reid, and TE Juwan Johnson. OverTheCap.com indicates the club presently has about $20MM of cap room, some of which could be earmarked for the offensive line. Terrell expects the Saints to prioritize their front five along with a running back addition, and head coach Kellen Moore specifically highlighted the left guard spot as an area of need. There are a number of free agent options (Isaac Seumalo and Zion Johnson, for instance) who could fit the bill.
The Saints also restructured Kamara’s deal, per Underhill, but it was not the standard salary-to-signing bonus restructure they employed for Young, Reid, and Johnson. Instead, as Underhill details, New Orleans used the collective bargaining agreement’s so-called “50% rule” to their advantage.
When the salary a player is due to earn a year from now is less than 50% of what he is due to earn in the present season, his team can convert his salary into a non-guaranteed signing bonus that can be prorated over future years for cap relief purposes. In other words, if Kamara is released, the Saints would still realize the benefits of the restructure, which would not be the case in a standard reworking whereby salary is converted into a guaranteed signing bonus. Because of that, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network suggested the Kamara situation is one to monitor (implying, presumably, that a release is on the table, although such a move would obviously leave the club even more shorthanded at the running back position).
We finish this lengthy roundup of Saints news by passing along a team announcement that Will Clapp has been added to the coaching staff as an offensive assistant. New Orleans selected Clapp in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he suited up for 66 games (22 starts) over a seven-year playing career that also included stops with the Chargers and Bills. He announced his retirement last month, and it was speculated at the time that he could be joining the New Orleans staff.
FA Notes: Pierce, Pats, Walker, Seahawks, Etienne, Jags, Broncos, Chiefs, Robinson, Giants, Titans, Cowboys
Prepared to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done, the Patriots continue to be linked to A.J. Brown. The Eagles standout could be the team’s No. 1 option at receiver, but if the defending AFC champions are unable to strike a deal, MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian indicates a pivot to Alec Pierce could be in the cards.
Ranked as PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent, Pierce’s market will be competitive. Guregian points to a $25-$30MM-per-year number being required to close that deal. Pierce is the league’s two-time reigning yards-per-catch leader, topping 1,000 yards last season despite the Colts losing Daniel Jones in Week 13. We heard earlier this week Pierce would land at least $20MM per year. The Colts prioritized Jones via the transition tag, putting them at risk of losing Pierce on Monday.
Had the Colts made an effort to lock down Pierce before last season, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes the view at the Combine was he would have cost maybe half the AAV he is expected to command next week. Not much extension buzz existed last summer; that could be costly for the Colts soon. Pierce is preparing to hit free agency; he can officially begin talking to interested teams at 11am CT Monday.
Here is the latest coming out of the free agent market:
- Kenneth Walker making it past the tag deadline unattached makes him the top RB option this year. The Super Bowl LX MVP should be able to land a deal in the $12-$16MM-AAV neighborhood, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. That would vault him into top-five territory at the position. The Giants have been tied to a Walker pursuit, with the Seahawks potentially ready to stand down after showing interest in retaining their four-year starter.
- If Walker scores a deal in that range, Breer estimates Travis Etienne winding up in the $10MM-per-year realm. The Jaguars are likely to let Etienne walk, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adding the team is prepared to move forward with 2025 fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten.
- The Broncos, who were set to pursue Breece Hall before his franchise tag, are a logical suitor for the longtime Jags starter, according to Jones. Walker could be on Denver’s radar as well, Jones adds, noting the Chiefs — who are believed to be interested in RB help (with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt unsigned) — are likely to be priced out of the Walker market. Kansas City does not believe Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love will be available at No. 9, per Jones, potentially pointing to an RB signing next week. Denver is looking for an RB to replace J.K. Dobbins alongside RJ Harvey, and it looks like the team is prepared to devote more resources to this position this offseason — with Russell Wilson finally off the books.
- Wan’Dale Robinson–Titans connections continue, but SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the Giants are still in on their homegrown slot receiver. That said, Tennessee is viewed as a very interested party for Robinson, whom Hughes pegs as more likely to leave New York than stay. A Nashville trek would reunite the 5-foot-8 WR with new Titans OC Brian Daboll. The Titans have been tied to a receiver pursuit for some time, as they are flush with cap space and expected to release Calvin Ridley. The Robinson market is expected to come in around $15MM per year, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan adds. With the Giants giving Darius Slayton a $12MM-AAV deal in 2025, how much will they be willing to spend here? Raanan views Robinson’s price tag as being a bit too steep for Big Blue.
- Two of Christian Parker‘s former charges may be on the Cowboys‘ radar. We heard Nakobe Dean‘s name connected to Dallas, which needs linebacker help, and the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins notes the team is in on the Eagles LB starter. The Cowboys are also interested in P.J. Locke, who has been an off-and-on starter at safety in Denver. Locke played under Parker previously, beginning as a starter under the new Dallas DC (after replacing Kareem Jackson in 2023).
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.