Jordan RaananESPN Staff Writer November 2, 2023, 9:00 AM ET4 minutes read
Pat McAfee praises Seahawks for Leonard Williams trade
Pat McAfee explains why he’s glad the Seattle Seahawks traded for Leonard Williams.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The New York Giants did not complete a full sale at the trade deadline. They traded Leonard Williams and his 1.5 sacks about 24 hours earlier and then stayed at the post with nine plays to go.
Maybe it wasn’t a completely voluntary decision. If there was a good offer for cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, he would probably be on another team too.
But that didn’t exist. And here the Giants face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, advancing without one of their better defensive players in Williams, who is a free agent after this season and unlikely to be re-signed.
They now have an additional second-round pick in 2024 and a fifth-round pick in 2025 from the Seattle Seahawks. A good haul considering the Washington Commanders selected Chase Young in the third round.
In a way, the Giants (2-6) admitted what those outside the 1925 Giants drive already knew: They are not a playoff team and needed to prioritize the future.
That’s not easy to justify in the locker room.
“Tell them how it went; [General manager] Joe [Schoen] “I didn’t actively shop anyone,” coach Brian Daboll said. “Obviously he’s taking calls as general manager, so we have confidence in the guys we have and let’s go out there and have a good week.”
This is the second year in a row that Schoen has made a trade without “buying” anyone. Last year it was wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
In this case, Williams was a player Seattle also inquired about last year, a source told ESPN. The Giants weren’t willing to part with him for any reason. It had to be a strong offer.
The Seahawks agreed, in large part because the Giants were willing to gobble up nearly all of the $10 million still owed to Williams. Schoen, who has been realistic about the roster he inherited since his arrival, had to strike while others were willing to pay up with valuable draft capital.
“I was probably naive. Or at all. I just don’t think that way,” said defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who was Williams’ closest friend on the team. “I didn’t understand why. I still don’t understand why. It is what it is.”
Daboll now has to deal with this. We’re holding this team together in what will almost certainly be a lost year. This is not what this group expected after last year’s playoff appearance and first-round win.
Trading Williams was one thing. Trading star running back Saquon Barkley would have been another, even if he is also set to become a free agent at the end of the season. He is the flagship of the franchise and moving him at the deadline would have been like waving a white flag for Schoen.
This would have been a difficult sell for owner John Mara, as he believes the product he is offering is for the paying consumer.
Now the Giants move forward against an easier schedule — only one of their next six opponents has a winning record — and expect to have a healthier roster. Quarterback Daniel Jones returns this week from a neck injury. Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and right tackle Evan Neal (ankle) are also trending in the right direction for Sunday against the Raiders. Thomas hasn’t played since attempting a blocked field goal in Week 1 against Dallas.
This should all help, and there’s a reasonable chance the Giants will win some games as a result.
“I think we’re all focused on doing what we can to make plays, score points and put the team in position to win games,” Jones said. “That’s what we’re focused on as a group and we’re excited to do that.”
That’s what the rest of this season is about again. Find out if Jones and the rest of this team are truly heading in the right direction or if last year was just a blip on the radar. The defense has played well, but can they get the offensive line back to average while Jones plays at (or above) the level he showed last season?
These are key questions. If not, the Giants have a high pick in the draft. At this point, a quarterback would need to be considered. According to ESPN Analytics, the Giants are currently projected to finish with the third-worst record in the NFL.
If that’s the case, the additional draft capital could make all the difference, helping them get the quarterback they want or add to a roster that clearly needs work. In any case, being 2-6 is more valuable than having Williams around trying to pick up an extra win or two.