NY Giants Urged to Move Two High-Priced Veterans by NFL Trade Deadline

If the Giants want to start looking at the future and clear out some cap space, these are two moves they should strongly consider.

New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen speaks at a press conference during day one of the New York Giants training camp at Quest Diagnostics Giants Training Center in East Rutherford on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants have exhibited an astonishing level of inconsistency over the last three years, treating the public to one dismal performance after another. Dysfunction has reached such towering heights that fans are hardly even disappointed anymore.  

Although it is challenging to stay emotionally invested, there are still steps the organization can take to build for the future.

New York has already committed to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, and it can continue to move toward a new era of Giants football by making a couple of trades to clear salary cap space and to secure draft picks for the future.

Alex Kay of Bleacher Report suggested two such transactions that could help the team moving forward: trading offensive lineman Evan Neal to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round draft pick and sending quarterback Russell Wilson to the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-rounder.

While it is challenging to express enthusiasm for these deals, this is more about the franchise's prospects rather than what it could receive in return. Fourth-year general manager Joe Schoen's vision has yet to produce sustained success, so maybe it is time for him to acknowledge some of his miscalculations.

That will not ease fan frustration, but sometimes there is value in hitting the refresh icon.

The Evan Neal experiment appears to already be over

The No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft was supposed to be a crucial part of the front office's blueprint to repair the O-line. But for numerous reasons, that mission remains incomplete, and Neal is one of the reasons why.

Despite adding value as a run-blocker last season, the former Alabama game-changer has yet to develop into a serviceable NFL lineman. He did not work out at tackle during his first two years and struggled to smoothly transition to guard this past summer. New York does not appear to have a place for him on this team.

Following a preseason that saw him post a 48.2 grade, according to Pro Football Focus, Neal has yet to be active this season. Since the organization has already declined the fifth-year option in his rookie contract, this relationship is on the verge of dissolving.

Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

If the team has no intention of playing the 25-year-old, it makes perfect sense for Schoen to do business with the offensive line-needy Texans. Otherwise, he will get nothing in return for one of his first draft picks if Neal walks away in free agency after the season.

But why would Houston or any other squad choose to part ways with a future asset if they can potentially scoop up Evan Neal on the open market? New York's leverage is nonexistent at this point.

Nevertheless, this situation is not benefiting anyone. The Giants should either give the 2021 consensus All-American one last chance to prove himself or initiate a split.

Does it benefit the NY Giants to carry two veteran QBs any longer?

The Giants' marriage with Russell Wilson has been relatively short, but a trade could be the most optimal outcome in that situation as well.

Big Blue brought in Wilson to add professionalism and stability to the offense, but the unit still looks shockingly discombobulated. Although the problems extend beyond the Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler, he has contributed to the disastrous results.

Wilson's magnificent Week 2 outing versus the Dallas Cowboys, which included 450 passing yards and three touchdowns, is not enough to excuse his missteps versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 36-year-old has graciously accepted his demotion to backup quarterback duties, but it is not practical to keep two well-paid veterans behind Dart. While having either Wilson or Jameis Winston on the depth chart is beneficial to the rookie's development, Schoen should be able to trade one of them.

Sep 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Considering Wilson is on a one-year contract, shipping him out seems like the most sensible option. The Bengals are sticking with the capable Jake Browning for now, but another rough performance could convince management to seek an alternative.

Wilson has a 59.1 completion percentage with three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 10.3 average depth of target this season. A sixth or seventh-round pick is all management can reasonably ask for.

The Giants should actively try to come away with something for both Wilson and Neal ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. However, one has to ask whether Schoen and company are equipped to capitalize on any future assets they acquire from these deals.

If the 2025 campaign stays on the same unsettling trajectory, someone else could be making those hypothetical draft selections.

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