New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh said the team remains open to adding players before the trade deadline but stressed that any deal must clear a high bar given the current roster and limited draft resources.
Harbaugh indicated the goal is always to improve the team when possible, yet finding the right fit is difficult.
"Always, always. I mean, that's always the goal. Easier said than done," Harbaugh told reporters on Monday. "And it's hard to find players that can make you better, because we have good players. Very good players.
"So, it's got to be something that is a need, that fits your financial profile, that fits your price tag. I mean, it's not like we have a bunch of draft picks either. We're not loaded with 12 or 13 draft picks where
we've got draft capital to burn. We don't. So, we have to be smart shoppers that way."
Harbaugh also addressed the tension between addressing immediate needs and protecting future flexibility. Using next year's draft capital would be simpler in some respects, but he said any such move would need to deliver value on both ends.
"Yeah, it's easier to put it on the credit card. It's always an easier spend," Harbaugh said. "Yeah, immediate gratification, right? It would have to be, though, honestly, it wouldn't have to just be a short-term thing. For me, it wouldn't want to be a one-on-one kind of thing. You want to have a short-term and a long-term win if you're going to do it with draft capital."
Beyond the financial and roster fit, Harbaugh said locker-room chemistry would factor heavily into any decision. He described the current group as having strong camaraderie and noted that the staff would likely seek input from players before completing a significant addition.
"Yes, absolutely, very important. We got a great camaraderie, a great brotherhood, synergy. All those things is really, really good right now, and you want to take that into account, even to the point where you probably talk to some of your guys before you did something like that," Harbaugh said. "Make sure that everybody understands, and they’re kind of on board with it."
The Giants will continue evaluating opportunities while prioritizing moves that strengthen the team without disrupting what has already been built.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Locker room chemistry a factor in New York Giants trade talks
