The New York Giants must make a very obvious move after trading Dexter Lawrence.
The New York Giants traded away defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on Saturday night, acquiring the No. 10 overall pick from the Cincinnati Bengals in return.
It was truly an extraordinary return for Lawrence, who registered 31 tackles, a half of a sack and eight quarterbacks hits in 2025.
Now, the Giants — who were previously lacking draft capital — own two picks in the top 10, as they also possess the fifth overall selection.
But should New York use both of those draft picks? Absolutely not.
I have been screaming for the Giants to trade down all offseason, and now, they have even more ammunition to do so.
Even after netting another first-round draft choice, New York still has just three picks in the top 100. The Giants do not have a third-rounder, which, for a team that has a plethora of needs, is far from ideal.
And remember: New York now has to fill an absolutely glaring hole at defensive tackle. It had a need at defensive tackle before trading Lawrence. Now, it might as well be flashing in neon lights on the depth chart.
This is why trading down is so imperative.
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh. Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images.If the Giants move down from either No. 5 or 10, they can acquire even more draft capital to more properly fill out the rest of the roster.
In addition to defensive tackle, New York needs help at cornerback, guard and wide receiver. Luckily, this draft class is pretty deep in all of those areas, but the Giants actually need the picks to address those needs.
Right now, they don't have that.
This is why I don't want to hear any more nonsense about staying at No. 5 just to take Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs or Jeremiyah Love. None of those players fill the holes Big Blue currently has.
Now, I understand trading out of the 5-spot is easier said than done. It will require a heavy offer, and most teams probably aren't going to be willing to surrender significant assets for a top-five selection in this particular draft.
But John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen should at least make a concerted effort to trade down. And if New York can't find a match at No. 5, then perhaps the Giants could move down from No. 10 given the cost would not be as extravagant.
One way or another, New York has to find a way to add more picks, and the Giants are now in a better position to do that than ever.
They also could move edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux to acquire another draft choice, as well.
There are multiple avenues the G-Men can explore to make this happen. They just need to get it done.
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