The New York Giants did not make the blockbuster move they hoped for at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon.
The move they were hoping to make, one that many insiders felt was a certainty, was to obtain Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor from the Indianapolis Colts. After several days of dancing and posturing, the deal, which was for 2027 second-and fifth-round picks, fell through.
The Colts wanted a first-rounder in exchange for Taylor. Other suitors balked, and so did the Giants, who pulled their offer over the weekend but were still said to be interested.
It turns out the Colts wanted a return similar to what the Carolina Panthers got for Christian McCaffrey in 2022. The San Francisco 49ers sent Carolina second-, third-, and fourth-round
picks, plus a future fifth-rounder, in that deal.
As a result, the Giants are left to play the hand they've been dealt for the rest of the season. Last week, the Giants averaged a paltry 2.6 yards per carry on the ground in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
From Lou Landers of The Big Lead:
The Giants are in first place and look poised to win a horrible NFC East. That means they will be in the playoffs and even host at least one playoff game. Having a strong, reliable running game, especially with their questions at the QB position, could make all the difference.
Cam Skattebo might be that guy when healthy; we don’t really know, but what we do know is that Jonathan Taylor IS that guy.
Taylor would have given New York an established workhorse capable of taking pressure off the passing game. With the Giants looking to make a postseason run, adding one of the league’s premier running backs could have changed the outlook for their offense.
Indianapolis ultimately decided not to move Taylor, leaving the Giants without the potential upgrade.
Skattebo did not play last week due to a hamstring issue. Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hamstring) is on injured reserve (IR) and won't be eligible to return until Week 13.
Skattebo will play Thursday night and will be backed up by Devin Singletary and Greg Desrosiers. That should help, but the lack of a bell-cow back will be an issue the rest of the way unless Skattebo suddenly shows more durability.
That's unlikely, given his running style and his unwillingness to change his ways. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has dialed up other ways to move the ball on the ground, such as jet sweeps with wide receiver Darnell Mooney and designed runs for quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but that will only get them so far. Defenses will smoke those out quickly.
The Giants will simply have to keep doing what they've been doing: Playing 60 minutes of complimentary football every week. With teams like Jacksonville, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, and Cleveland still left on the schedule, they'll have hope that continues to work.
It's too bad the Colts couldn't have been more flexible here. Taylor would have made the Giants' offense a lot more consistent and definitely more formidable. Perhaps he could have even taken them deep into January.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants miss out on Jonathan Taylor: What it means
