With the NFL trade deadline around the corner, many have speculated whether the New York Giants will make a move and, if so, what positions they might address on the roster. The Giants could certainly use an upgrade in a number of places, and with the team currently in sole possession of first place in the NFC East, they may be buyers at the deadline.
Sports Illustrated released a list of 10 2026 NFL Trade Deadline Deals We’d Love to See, and the list includes the Giants landing potentially the most impactful player on it.
Raiders edge Maxx Crosby to the Giants
Crosby is playing really well this year. His old man strength has arrived long before he should be considered an old man, and has combined with his traditional over-willingness to stop the
run and agility in rushing the passer. Crosby would be a valuable asset for teams hoping to upgrade both their ability to pressure the quarterback and set the edge. The Giants may seem unorthodox for a partner, but I wonder if including Kayvon Thibodeaux in the deal could offset some of the cost. The initial Crosby asking price was two first-round picks, when he was nearly dealt last offseason. Thibodeux is four years younger than Crosby and may wind up cheaper, even on the incredible $29 million APY the Raiders’ defensive end currently makes on his own second contract.
But this move is about more than helping the Giants stay alive in the NFC East. It’s about setting a tone. John Harbaugh has spent the year filtering the roster of non-Harbaugh types, or punishing the players who are erring on the non-Harbaugh side of the line. Jaxson Dart was put on notice with the J.J. McCarthy trade, whether intentionally or not. Dexter Lawrence II was dealt. Cam Skattebo was benched for a week (in theory). When Thibodeaux was brought up after the Lawrence trade in April, Harbaugh did not immediately suggest that Thibodeaux was untradable (even though the narrative on that was eventually cleaned up). Offering the athletic Thibodeaux—who is on perhaps the best three-game run of his career and nearly had a game-sealing drop-back pick deep in the zone on Sunday—as a kind of preextension trial for the Raiders, could at least form the runway for more substantive trade talks. Crosby could wind down his career as a megastar in the sport’s biggest market for a team that has favorable odds to win the NFC East.
While we can argue the merits of pushing to win what looks like the worst division in the NFL, Harbaugh’s program-altering path needs a pelt on the wall heading into Year 2. The Giants are 27th in pressure percentage among defenses and 18th against the run. Crosby would solve both of those problems and unleash Abdul Carter on the opposite side.
An addition like Crosby would completely change the way the Giants’ defense looks, and pairing him with Abdul Carter would make for one of the top pass rushes in the entire league. Crosby would take an already good defense to a whole new level with the talent he brings to the table.
The cost for a player of Crosby’s caliber would likely be more than the Giants could afford, based on the multiple first-round picks that Crosby cost the Baltimore Ravens this offseason prior to the trade falling through.
As highlighted, Crosby would be going from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Giants and helping them battle for the division title. An addition like Crosby would likely make the Giants the favorite in the betting odds to win the division, something they currently are not despite their game-and-a-half lead.
As the Giants approach the trade deadline from a realistic point of view, given their draft capital, it is unlikely they are looking to add a game-changing, top-end talent at any position. However, for a player like Crosby, they could likely make an exception.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants urged to make 'dream trade' for Maxx Crosby
