Giants Ready To Make Trades Including A Former No. 2 Pick

OutKick's lead NFL columnist Armando Salguero is reporting from the NFL combine this week.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New York Giants are going to be major players during the 2022 NFL draft because they have two top 10 selections in the first round. But general manager Joe Schoen made it clear Tuesday his team might be among the most active teams this entire offseason.

Because "everything" is on the table.

"I'm open to everything, whether it's trading player for player, you know, I'll listen to anybody, whether it's trading a couple of players," Schoen said during an interview session at the Combine. "I'm not going to say the entire roster, that we're open for business on the entire roster, but if anybody's going to call and they're interested in any of our players, I'll certainly listen."

The Giants would be approximately $24 million over the $208.2 million salary cap once they sign their top 51 contracts, unless they adjust or shed some of those contracts. So Schoen is obviously thinking one way to open up cap space is to trade some players away.

And running back Saquon Barkley, the No. 2 overall selection of the 2018 draft, would be a prime candidate for such a move and one Schoen did not dismiss.

Barkley, 25, will be in the final year of his rookie contract next season, so it might be wise for the Giants to shed his $7.2 million salary cap number, save the entire amount and perhaps get a draft pick in the exchange.

Some team with cap room might decide adding Barkley, who's explosive when healthy, might be a better addition than using a fourth- or fifth-round pick on a running back to fill their need.

"We're in a situation where, unfortunately, we have to get under the salary cap," Schoen said. "We're not in very good salary cap health and, again, I'm not going to say yes to every deal, but I'm definitely going to listen and I'd be open to the situations that are best for the New York Giants."

This does not mean quarterback Daniel Jones is on the trade block as well. But the Giants will be in the market for a quarterback, Schoen said.

"We're going to bring in competition everywhere, but Daniel Jones, he's our starting quarterback right now," he said. "And again, listen, he was injured last year and they had a backup quarterback ... I think the backup quarterback is one of the more important positions in our league and something we're going to address."

The Combine is traditionally where NFL personnel people can meet face to face and discuss potential trades. And Schoen might use portions of this week for exactly that -- discussing players on his roster as well as the No. 5 and No. 7 spot in the first round which the Giants hold.

"I haven't been here 24 hours yet, so I haven't had a chance to talk to a lot of people, but we're open to moving back, moving up, staying as well," Schoen said. "If I can find seven players I like in the draft, you sleep good at night because two of those guys will be there -- one at five and one at seven."

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