Giants Players Who Should be on the Trade Block After Week 3

Coming off of a 9-7-1 season and a first playoff appearance since 2016, the New York Giants entered the 2023 NFL campaign with warranted optimism. Through three weeks, there are a lot of reasons for that optimism being eroded.

Heading into Week 4, they are 1-2 with the second-worst point differential in the league (-55). That's worse than the Denver Broncos, which lost by 50 points in Week 3.

The lone win came in a come-from-behind effort against the Arizona Cardinals, which now looks better after the Cards upset the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.

But it's still a sobering start to the season that has revealed this Giants team might be farther from playoff contention than previously thought. If its struggles continue, it's not hard to see this team being a seller as the trade deadline approaches.

If that's the case, here are three candidates to be shipped off based on their role, performance and contract.

CB Adoree' Jackson

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Adoree' Jackson #22 of the New York Giants reacts during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium on September 21, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Adoree' Jackson's first season with the Giants was the best of his career. With Patrick Graham running the defense, he held opponents to a 52.1 completion percentage and a 69.0 passer rating.

However, they've seen diminishing returns from the 28-year-old since Wink Martindale took over the defense. Through three games, he's already giving up a passer rating of 109.8 and 203 yards through the air. His PFF grade of 53.6 is 80th among the 105 cornerbacks graded.

The Giants' other options at corner haven't fared much better. Trey Hawkins III and Deonte Banks are the other snap leaders at the position, but they at least have the prospect of developing as younger players. Jackson, 28, is a veteran who is either losing a step or not a fit within the scheme.

There are several teams that should be more than willing to offer up a pick for Jackson. The Raiders would make a lot of sense as Graham's current team.

Cornerback depth is important, but the Giants would be better off giving Jackson's reps to someone who might be part of the long-term picture.

WR Sterling Shepard

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Sterling Shepard #3 of the New York Giants warms up prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on September 21, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Sterling Shepard has a lot of the indicators you look for in a trade candidate on a struggling team. He's too old to be considered a building block for the current offense at 30 years old, and he becomes a free agent after this season.

He's also not playing a major role right now. He has played just 26 offensive snaps in three weeks and only saw two in Week 3.

Head coach Brian Daboll and Co. have established a hierarchy with Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins and Parris Campbell taking the majority of the snaps and Jalin Hyatt working his way up the depth chart.

That leaves Shepard as the odd man out and getting pressure from Wan'Dale Robinson, who made his debut last week. Shepard struggled to remain healthy last season and only played three games, but he had 13 catches on 24 targets for 154 yards.

This year, the Oklahoma product has been healthy but just hasn't been involved.

That should be enough to send Shepard to the trade block so the Giants can see if they can get something out of him.

RB Saquon Barkley

AP Photo/Matt York

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Here's the nuclear option for the Giants. When this offense is clicking, it's usually because of a big performance from Saquon Barkley, but he's still on a restructured one-year deal and using the franchise tag on him next season could cost up to $13.2 million.

The 26-year-old is one of the running backs who is at the crux of the contract issues facing the position. He's clearly a game-changing player, but he missed the Thursday night game in Week 3 due to an ankle injury.

That is what makes handling Barkley a tricky situation. Running backs in general are a risky investment because of the chance of injury, but he has been an extreme case. He only played two games in 2020 and came back looking much worse in 2021 before reemerging as an elite back in 2022.

Now that the Penn State product is already missing games in 2023, it's fair to wonder how good of a long-term investment he is.

While this iteration of the New York offense needs him to perform to be at its best, it might be a good long-term goal to build an offense that doesn't need him.

Sending Barkley to another team that will have to figure out what to do with his contract situation might be best for all parties, especially if the Giants continue to struggle.