As of early Wednesday evening, James Bradberry was still a Giants’ cornerback. He wasn’t traded to the Raiders, Chiefs, or 49ers like previously predicted.
Running back Saquon Barkley still has his locker in the Meadowlands, and he wasn’t part of a rising Bills’ squad.
Looking at the big picture, the Giants are likely to play it close to the vest at Thursday night’s NFL draft. New GM Joe Schoen had intimated on numerous occasions that he wants to build his club through the draft.
Picks, picks, and picks. Keep thinking about it. It begins Thursday night.
There has been rising speculation that Bradberry could be part of a draft night trade, either to the 49ers or Chiefs for a couple of second-round picks.
That scenario does have a relatively strong chance of occurring. Schoen has wanted to dump Bradberry’s contract for quite some time, although he does appreciate his veteran presence in the defensive backfield. Bradberry became a more appealing option to stay when safety/cornerback Logan Ryan was let go.
Being cash-strapped and conservative, look for Schoen only to unload Bradberry if he can get the right deal.
Ironically, Barley’s status has yet to be determined, and he has been mentioned associated with the Bills, 49ers, and Chiefs as a logical landing spot. Do you sense or smell a Bradberry and Bakley dump to one of the aforementioned teams? It’s a longshot.
Barkley’s status will be determined later, and the onset of training camp seems like a target date. Schoen surely will deal with him if he can get the right package.
Picks, picks, picks.
Remember it will be all about the picks. Schoen and new head coach Biran Daboll want to build for a solid future. That means it probably won’t be an attractive fall and winter at MetLife Stadium.
This process won’t be another patchwork operation of keeping enough veterans past their prime around to try and make a run at being a .500 team. Those days are behind Giants’ fans.
Keep your tickets and be patient. Recall those days when a young head coach named Bill Parcells took over and a respected football man named George Young took over.
Don’t compare Daboll and Schoen to Parcells and Young. At least, not yet.
It will also begin in earnest, and the Giants should land Alabama’s 6-7, 337-pound behemoth Evan Neal, a natural right tackle to form a young budding combination with Andrew Thomas with the fifth overall pick.
Two picks later at number seven, look for the Giants to take Florida State edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, who recorded 11.5 sacks last year, and whose stock has risen to the height of Oregon’s Kevyon Thiodeavux.
Chances are, this could be a mundane, yet productive night. It will be all business.
Thursday night runs the page of a new chapter of Giants’ football.