It looks like the New York Giants are preparing to be sellers at the upcoming NFL trade deadline. Several Giants players have been brought up in trade rumors in recent weeks but none more prominent than fourth-year pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari. According to a recent report, the Giants have been "shopping" Ojulari as the November 5th deadline nears.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, "it's a poorly kept secret" that the Giants have been "shopping" Ojulari. The 24-year-old edge rusher is drawing interest from several teams around the NFL and could be moved in the coming days.
Russini listed the Cincinnati Bengals, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Arizona Cardinals as three of the teams that have expressed interest in trading for Ojulari. NFL analyst Cam Marino backed up this report, stating his "gut feeling" is that Atlanta will target Ojulari at the deadline.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler added more fuel to the fire, reporting that the buzz around Ojulari has increased in league circles:
"Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari's name has heated up in recent days. Teams that had him as a fringe option now believe he could get moved by Tuesday, especially if contenders in need of rush help don't want to meet the Browns' asking price for a Za'Darius Smith trade... One interesting connection: Arizona. The Cardinals could be 5-4 coming out of the weekend, have a major need at edge rusher and Ojulari's brother, BJ, is a Cardinal, though BJ is out for the season."
With the trade deadline just days away, the Giants will need to make a decision on Ojulari soon. The decision to trade him away, however, might be a little more difficult than initially perceived.
The Giants need to determine the pros and cons of trading away Ojulari. The former second-round pick is having a breakout campaign while filling in for the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux. Ojulari has totaled 24 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and six sacks this season in eight games and with only three starts.
He has been an impact player for the G-Men, however, Ojulari is typically a rotational rusher in this defense. As a backup behind Thibodeaux, his value in New York is lower than it would be on another team that might view Ojulari as an every-down starter.
Ojulari is in the final year of his contract and could get paid like an every-down starter in free agency. The Giants, having both Thibodeaux and Brian Burns under contract, would be unlikely to give Ojulari "starter" money in free agency. Thus, he could walk away for nothing.
Instead, the Giants could look to trade him this week in exchange for a day-three draft pick, ensuring they get at least something for him before he heads for the open market in March.
However, trading away Ojulari would then open up another hole on the Giants' roster that would need to be filled in the offseason. Is a fifth or sixth-round draft pick really worth it? That is what general manager Joe Schoen will need to determine as he shops Ojulari in trade discussions.