Fan Opinion Split on New York Giants’ Inactivity at Trade Deadline

The New York Giants’ 2024 season, which currently stands at 2-7 at the midway mark, is going nowhere.

Because of that, there was a lot of speculation as to whether the Giants would be active by the NFL trade deadline, which has since passed on Tuesday, and move one or both of outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari and receiver Darius Slayton, two players who are in the final year of their respective contracts.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen held firm in his asking price for Ojulari, a 24-year-old pass rusher whose only knock has been his health over the last two years. 

Schoen was believed to have wanted at least a fourth-round pick for Ojulari, but he was not going to get it given how the market had taken shape for older pass rushers who were being exchanged for sixth—and seventh-round picks.

With the Giants standing pat at the trade deadline, fans are split over the decision. In a recently concluded X (formerly Twitter) poll, 41.6% of the 1K+ voters said they were disappointed with the Giants having held their water, while a surprising 40.9% said they weren’t sure about how they felt over the Giants’ inactivity at the trade deadline. 

Among the sentiments expressed in the comments, a common one was a mistrust for Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll to have made the right decisions even if they had managed to swing a trade. This no doubt refers to the Giants’ mostly lackluster draft picks since Schoen became the general manager.

Others saw trading away two productive players as the wrong message to send, noting that the Giants’ objective is to win games, which, while hard for them to do of late, would likely become even harder if they were to send two relatively consistent performers out the door. 

The biggest question, though, raised among the voters is now what? The Giants are not necessarily assured of getting comp picks to use in 2026, as that will all depend on the number of free agents lost vs. the number they sign next winter, plus the contracts involved. 

And that lack of a guarantee has several fans reeling, given that the Giants won’t receive a comp pick after losing running back Saquon Barkley to the Eagles in free agency thanks to the signing of guard Jon Runyan, Jr. (though they are on track to receive an extra fourth-round pick after losing safety Xavier McKinney). 

While it’s unlikely the Giants will re-sign Slayton and Ojulari this offseason, neither move can be completely ruled out, given the market’s unpredictability.