The New York Giants spent the 2026 trade deadline chasing impact, but the biggest swing they took never turned into a deal.
After landing former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy to take over at quarterback in the wake of Jaxson Dart’s injury, the 5-2-1 Giants were widely expected to keep pushing for help as they tried to strengthen a shaky NFC East race.
They had already shown interest in Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons before he was dealt to the Chicago Bears in a move that included two first-round picks. Reports also said New York explored a run at Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor before backing off a package that reportedly centered on a second-round pick.
But the most ambitious call came when the Giants reached out to the Atlanta Falcons about Bijan Robinson, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
That’s the kind of phone call that tells you exactly how New York was approaching the deadline. Robinson isn’t just another name on the board - he leads the NFL with 880 rushing yards in nine games played, and he has already piled up the fifth-most career scrimmage yards, 6,778, before age 25 in NFL history.
A trade would have been one of the headline moves of the deadline, but the chances of it happening appear to have been slim. Atlanta has treated Robinson like a franchise centerpiece, and the Falcons backed that up this offseason with a three-year extension worth up to $75 million after he put together a franchise-record 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025.
The Falcons also had little reason to sell. They’re still in the thick of the NFC South, where all four teams have just three wins, and they already added a second-round pick and a future fifth-round pick for Jessie Bates III. If Atlanta was ever going to move Robinson, the return would have had to be massive - far beyond a first-round pick.
What the Giants were actually willing to put on the table remains unclear, and it’s not known how far the talks with Matt Ryan ever got.
For all the noise around the deadline, New York came away empty-handed. That leaves Cam Skattebo as the answer at running back, and he’s coming off his best game yet: 124 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans in Week 7. Overall, he has 418 rushing yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season.
In Other News...
Giants Deadline Aggression Was Bigger Than Fans Realized
The trade deadline chatter around New York was not limited to its own roster, and one of the more surprising calls reportedly reached Atlanta. The Giants were said to have explored a deal for Bijan Robinson, a sign of just how aggressively they were searching for help before the deadline and how highly they viewed the Falcons running back.
From Atlantas side, the idea never really had much traction. Robinson is seen as a franchise cornerstone, and the Falcons recently locked him in with a new deal, making any move for him a long shot from the start. With New York also pulling back from its pursuit of Jonathan Taylor, the Giants appear set to move forward with what they have, while Atlanta continues building around one of its most important offensive pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Changed Their Offensive Line Plan In A Big Way
The Falcons have altered the middle of their offensive line in a notable way, moving on from Ryan Neuzil after he spent the past two seasons as their full-time starting center. In return, Atlanta added guard Andrew Vorhees, a player who has already logged 22 starts for Baltimore since entering the league in 2023, along with a 2028 sixth-round draft pick.
The deal leaves a clear opening at center, and Corey Levin now appears to be in line for the first real chance to step into that role. For a line that has been trying to settle itself, this is a significant shift in the plan, with Atlanta betting on a different mix up front as it reshapes the interior around Vorhees and whatever comes next at center. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Deadline Sell-Off Raises A Bigger Michael Penix Jr. Concern
The Falcons deadline activity sent a clear signal that went beyond the usual roster churn. Even with the team sitting close to first place in the division, Atlanta moved safety Jessie Bates III to Jacksonville for future draft capital and also dealt Ryan Neuzil to Baltimore, a pair of transactions that suggested the front office was looking past the immediate standings and thinking more about what comes next.
For a team that still had a real path in the division, the timing naturally invites a bigger question about how Atlanta views Michael Penix Jr. and the direction of the roster around him. Selling off established pieces while the season is still very much alive does not fit the profile of a club fully convinced it is ready to push all in, and that tension now hangs over the Falcons as much as any depth-chart decision. [Read more 🡒]