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The New York Giants just may have given the rest of the league an idea at their plans with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
On Thursday, the team announced it is trading standout defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for draft picks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants will ship Pierre-Paul and their fourth-round pick in this year’s draft (No. 102) to Tampa while receiving the Buccaneers’ fourth-rounder (No. 108) and third-round pick (No. 69).
Nice.
Schefter reported the news on Twitter.
Another blockbuster trade: Giants trading DE Jason Pierre-Paul and a 2018 fourth-round pick to Buccaneers for a 2018 third-round pick and a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2018
It is a move that makes a lot of sense for both teams.
Pierre-Paul led the Giants with 8.5 sacks last season and will immediately bolster the Buccaneers’ pass rush. New York, meanwhile, is shifting from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher.
By trading away Pierre-Paul, the Giants have now cleared the way to select N.C. State pass rusher Bradley Chubb, who can play at defensive line or outside linebacker. With Chubb, New York gets a better schematic fit for their shift in defensive philosophy.
The Giants also pick up added ammunition in the middle rounds, where they could potentially look to land a long-term replacement from Eli Manning.
The 2018 NFL Draft is set to take place April 26 – April 28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
