Giants Won’t Overpay for a ‘Short-Term Fix,’ Harbaugh Says Amid Taylor Buzz

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With the NFL trade deadline rapidly approaching, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh did not shoot down a report of the team’s interest in Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. Asked about it, he said he’s “not saying that report’s not true,” and he left the door open for a deal if circumstances change.
“I’d say we’re open to any situation, but I will say this: things do change. Things change day-to-day,” he said. “So it’s not like one day you may do something and the next day something happens, and it changes your position. I’m not saying that report’s not true.
“Those conversations are taking place, and if something happens for any player, I can’t talk about any player because they’re with other teams right now, but we’re not ruling anything out, but I don’t see anything particularly imminent right now either.”
The Giants struggled to run the ball in their 19-11 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. New York finished with 80 yards on 31 carries without Cam Skattebo, who was inactive with a hamstring injury, and Tyrone Tracy Jr., who is on injured reserve with a hamstring strain.
But it wasn’t just the running backs. The offensive line struggled in run blocking, and the Giants lost yardage on nine plays.
Those struggles have fueled speculation that the Giants might look to make a deal for a running back. According to Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer, New York had offered second- and fifth-round picks for Taylor, but the Colts wanted more, and the Giants pulled the offer. Another insider, Jordan Schultz, suggested the Colts might even hang onto Taylor and look to move him next offseason.
Harbaugh, who also said there is no one on the Giants’ roster they want to trade away, stressed that any acquisition must make sense in the short and long term.
“It’s got to make sense short term and long term. We’re not just going to go for a short-term fix at an exorbitant cost. We’re not going to do that. That’s not where we’re at. And usually when you do that sort of thing, it doesn’t work out for you. You end up paying a hefty price, and you don’t get the return,” he said.
“I never think that you’re one step away, one player away,” he continued, noting that the front office has “been making a lot of calls” around the league to see what might be available and make sense for the franchise.
“To me, it’s always just a total momentum kind of thing anyway. But if the right opportunity comes and there’s a deal that makes sense for us, we’ll do it.”
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Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.
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