Brian Daboll says Saquon Barkley is staying but here are 4 Giants who could be gone at NFL trade deadline

10/25/2023
Brian Daboll said he told Saquon Barkley directly last week that the Giants won’t trade him.
So Saquon will definitely be a Giant after next Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline?
“Yeah,” Daboll said, unequivocally. “Someone told me that there were some rumors out there. So I walked up to him at [last week’s] walkthrough and said, ‘Yeah, that’s not happening. Let’s go to [the] walkthrough.’ That’s it.”
So that is the Giants head coach saying Barkley, 26, won’t be traded no matter if another team makes a lucrative offer before Tuesday at 4 p.m. This means a loss to the Jets (3-3) on Sunday wouldn’t change the Giants’ intentions there, according to Daboll.
The Giants (2-5) have a 2-2 record in games Barkley has played in and an 0-3 record when he has not. He is an offensive catalyst, as well as the team’s most popular and recognizable player to keep fans in the seats.
That doesn’t guarantee Giants GM Joe Schoen won’t be active at the Halloween deadline, however. Here are four Giant players to keep an eye on as potential trade targets for suitors:
PARRIS CAMPBELL, WR: 16 catches, 85 yards, 7 games
Campbell, 26, seems like the most likely player to be traded. He has been eliminated from the offensive rotation completely after being a mainstay to start the season. He averaged 46 snaps per game in Weeks 1 and 2, but that decreased to 20 snaps per game in Weeks 3-5. Then he didn’t play a single snap in Week 6 at Buffalo, before getting on the field for four snaps against Washington in Week 7. Campbell has gotten some kick return reps in the last two weeks. Still, no one could foresee that he’d be nailed to the bench when he signed a one-year, $4.7 million free agent contract in the spring. He’s good enough to help a team, and the Giants could recoup 70% of Campbell’s remaining cap cost if they found a trade partner for a late-round pick swap.
LEONARD WILLIAMS, DL: 20 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5 QB hits, 1 blocked FG, 7 games
Williams, 29, has stepped up in the final year of his expensive contract, which carries a void year in 2024. So he is the most attractive trade chip on the Giants’ roster. Imagine what adding Williams to an already strong defensive line could do for a contender. Similar to Barkley’s situation, trading Williams off the Giants would weaken the team and send a clear message that this organization is playing for the future more than the present. Still, he carries a team-high $32.2 million cap hit. It will be difficult if not impossible to retain him after this year. So if Schoen can get back 55% of Williams’ remaining cap hit, plus assets, a trade would make sense.
XAVIER McKINNEY, S: 38 tackles, 6 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 7 games
McKinney, 24, is a good young player. His rookie contract is up at the end of this season, and it’s not clear yet if the Giants will be interested in meeting his price when they engage in contract talks with agent David Mulugheta. They also might not have the franchise tag available to retain him on a one-year deal, depending on what happens with any Barkley negotiations and other free agents. McKinney also was a draft pick of the previous regime. McKinney’s free safety performance probably wouldn’t be easy to replace the rest of the season if the Giants traded him. But he’s also good enough to help teams needing support on the back end down the stretch. So even if a trade might not happen, circumstances dictate that he’s a player to watch.
ADOREE JACKSON, CB: 23 tackles, 2 passes defended, 6 games
Jackson, 28, has a 2024 void year attached to his contract, but this season is likely his last with the team. So if the Giants could get something for the veteran corner, it would make sense to listen. Unfortunately, Jackson has had rib and neck injuries the last few weeks. He didn’t play against Washington in Week 7 and appears likely to miss Sunday’s Jets game, too. On top of that, Jackson is expensive with a $19 million cap number in this final true year of his deal. Recouping 60% of his remaining cap hit is another motivating factor for the Giants to entertain offers. But he wouldn’t be a cheap acquisition for other teams, either.