Jason Pierre-Paul Reportedly 'Surprised' by Giants Trading Him to Buccaneers

The New York Giants trade of veteran defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul came as a surprise to many, including Pierre-Paul, ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported Thursday.

The Giants announced they sent Pierre-Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a third-round draft pick. The two teams also swapped fourth-rounders.

While Pierre-Paul expected to be a member of the Giants in 2018, a trade to Tampa isn't all bad. NFL Network's Kimberly Jones reported the 29-year-old is looking forward to playing in South Florida:

Pierre-Paul is a native of Deerfield Beach, Florida, and he spent one season in college with the South Florida Bulls, who share Raymond James Stadium with the Buccaneers.

Raanan noted the Giants were partially motivated by finances when they traded Pierre-Paul. While New York will save just $2.5 million against the cap with $15 million in dead money, they're no longer on the hook for the final two years of his contract, which counts for $27 million against the cap in 2019 and 2020.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, get help for a pass rush that ranked last in sacks (22), as well as adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders. Even after the fireworks accident that caused irreparable damage to his right hand, Pierre-Paul had 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons.