As the NFL trade deadline approaches in seven days, teams will have a decision to make whether they might be buyers or sellers.
The buyers are all-in, trading future draft assets for a short-term chance to chase a Lombardi Trophy. The sellers have seen the truth that they're not going to compete this season and are willing to cut their losses and build for down the road.
Some teams sit in a weird spot -- partly because the NFL trade deadline is so early in the calendar. They could be buyers trying to prove they can turn the season around. They could sell.
That's essentially where the New York Giants stand after a 2-5 start. Already way behind in the division and the wild card spot seeming like a long-shot, Big Blue could move some of their assets and continue to build for the future -- like they did trading back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. But they also just played their best game of the year, pounding Carolina, 25-3.
With general manager Dave Gettleman on the hot seat, and coach Joe Judge seemingly joining him there, both men need wins to justify keeping their jobs. We've seen plenty of teams with desperate leadership play to win, only to see their failures wreck future seasons, too.
Judge was asked Monday if he thinks his team should be buyers looking to improve now or take a long-term approach.
"I always think long-term," Judge responded. "Sometimes, long-term can come in a move you can make immediately at this point, but I'm always thinking long-term. I've said this from the beginning, I'm not about taking shortcuts into anything. I've made it very clear in terms of my vision of the team and where I want to build it. It's being built for long-term success. I have a lot of faith in the people we have in this program right now, but ultimately my vision always goes long-term. I'm always looking at -- just for everyone listening, I'm always looking at not only what our depth chart is now, but what does it look like at the end of this year, beginning of next year, what does it look like two years from now? Whether you're going through free agency, trades, draft, whatever it may be, to me, you're always looking down the road in terms of not where you are immediately, but where do you have to get to. That's my perspective on that."
How drastic the Giants might be in building that future remains to be seen. Also, it's questionable whether Gettleman shares Judge's long-term view given the thin rope the GM is already standing on -- and any trades could be viewed as an admission he erred in the first place.
Big Blue faces the 3-4 Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night before next Tuesday's trade deadline.
