Realistic Draft Trade Possibilities for the New York Giants

The New York Giants probably won’t do much in the way of wheeling and dealing during the draft—that’s not their style, as Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media noted.

Hey, there is a first time for everything.

Remember: During general manager Jerry Reese’s tenure, the Giants have always been conservative in free agency; however, in the 2014 offseason, Reese uncharacteristically went on a major spending spree as part of an effort to turn over an aging roster.

Might Reese and the Giants, who historically haven't made many bold moves during the draft, lay it out on the line and actually pull off an upset or two that no one saw coming?

With the team needing to win and needing to have another strong draft, chances are that Reese plays it conservatively, as he has always done.

In the final days leading up to the draft, the chatter is running nonstop about possible trades around the league.

If the Giants plan to get in on that action—again, a long shot—here are some brand-new proposed moves they realistically could explore to proactively ensure that they're in a position to get the players they need to return to the playoffs.

Draft a Receiver in the 1st Round and Trade Rueben Randle to a Team in Need of a Receiver 

According to the Giants' predraft press notes, they have drafted a wide receiver in the first round only five times—and only twice during Reese’s tenure (Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 and Hakeem Nicks in 2009).

Might New York be looking at the possibility of adding another first-round pick at receiver this year if one or more of Amari Cooper, Kevin White and DeVante Parker are sitting there at No. 9?

It might be hard for Reese to pass up one of those three receivers; however, if he does draft one, what does he do with the surplus that, regardless of whether he wants to admit it, will grow from 11 to 12 receivers, eight of whom have NFL game experience.

The answer is to move one of them to a team in need of a receiver, and in order to get the maximum return on such an investment, Rueben Randle, the team’s second-round pick in 2012, might make the most sense to move.

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Why Randle, who last year moved into the starting lineup and finished with career highs in receptions (71) and yards (938)?

Randle, who is still young, has shown glimpses of talent in each of his three seasons in the NFL, but the mental lapses are maddening.

Per data collected from various pages at Pro Football Focus, Randle has been the intended target on 13 Giants interceptions since the 2012 season, the most in that timespan.

Randle has also posted 10 dropped passes over that three-season span, although that stat pales in comparison to the 23 dropped balls by Victor Cruz over that same period.

It’s almost come to a point where one never knows what to expect each week from Randle, who last year was punished twice within a three-week period for violating team rules that by now should be second nature.

Aside from this being a contract year and the potential haul that he might bring in a trade—New York should be able to get at least an extra Day 2 pick if it can move Randle to a receiver-needy team—here’s another reason why the Giants should explore trading the former LSU star.

According to his career stats posted at Pro-Football-Reference.com, Randle has caught just 55.3 percent of the passes sent his way—his best season being 2012, when he caught 19 of the 32 passes he was targeted on, 59.3 percent, with each subsequent year not exceeding 56 percent.

Will the Giants move Randle? Probably not—Reese seems to have developed a preference for hanging on to draft picks a year beyond the three-year window that most teams use to gauge whether a player is going to be a part of their foundation.

Should they try to move him for an extra early Day 2 pick that they can either use or package as trade bait if they’re able to complete the deal ahead of the draft?

Hey, sometimes a fresh start isn't such a bad idea.

Trade Down in the 1st Round with Cleveland (No. 12 Overall)

Let’s look at the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation for a minute.

Yes, it’s as messy as it looks on paper. Last year, the Browns thought they were finally putting an end to their endless line of unsuccessful quarterbacks with their selection of Johnny Manziel; however, we all know how that story worked out.

That’s not to say that Manziel can’t be a quarterback in this league. Whether that's as a starter, though, is up for debate.

What’s not up for debate is that Manziel realizes that regaining the trust of his teammates and the Browns organization is an ongoing process.

The problem is that the Browns don’t have an infinite amount of time to let that process play out and potentially end up having to start from square one at quarterback regardless.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press/Associated Press

With that said, would it surprise anyone if they are eyeballing a new signal-caller who might be more inclined to hit the ground running while Manziel continues to repair his shattered image?

The answer is no, and while it’s unlikely that the Browns will have a chance at Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, there is another potential franchise quarterback they might be able to get if they are willing to trade up into the top 10.

That quarterback is former UCLA signal-caller Brett Hundley, whom Jarrett Bell of USA Today believes is one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in the draft.

Hundley, listed as NFL Draft Scout’s third-best quarterback prospect and projected as a second-round draft pick, is a player who—like another now-famous quarterback drafted on Day 2, Seattle’s Russell Wilson—can be a dual threat.

In a quarterback class that’s considered thin, might the Giants be willing to move down to No. 12, the first of Cleveland’s two first-round picks, to give the Browns a chance at getting Hundley if the signal-caller somehow slips past the Jets at No. 6?

It’s something that could happen, especially if the Browns have concerns about the Rams, which draft after the Giants at No. 10, and fear that Hundley is in their cross hairs in the first round.

As for what the Giants might be able to get in addition to the Browns’ No. 12 pick, according to Drafttek.com's NFL trade-value chart, it would be reasonable for the Giants to seek the Browns’ third-round pick.

Of course, if the Giants are feeling aggressive, they could ask for both of the Browns’ first-round picks, No. 12 and No. 19 overall, though it would be surprising if Cleveland gives up that much to move up to No. 9.

Instead, the Giants might have to settle for the Browns' third-round pick, No. 77 overall, which would give New York four picks within the top 100.

If the Giants were to trade down to No. 12, they would still be able to come away with a player who can help right away. Remember—they got Beckham last year at No. 12, so a three-slot drop isn’t far at all.

The move makes too much sense for both sides if Hundley is still there at No. 9 and is indeed in the Browns’ cross hairs.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. 

Follow @Patricia_Traina.