The Giants made a late-August bet on something you can’t teach: size.
New York sent a 2028 seventh-round pick to the Ravens for C.J. Okoye, a 6-foot-6, 365-pound defensive lineman who has only been playing football for a few years.
That alone makes the move stand out. Players with that kind of frame, and that little experience, usually are not changing hands this time of year.
What the Giants are getting is not some anonymous camp body. Baltimore used Okoye in 13 games last season, and he came away with 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and a pass defensed. So this is an actual NFL player with game tape, not just a speculative flier.
The deal also keeps the Giants busy after final cuts. They have now made three trades in 11 days, which tells you they are not treating roster building like a finished project. And there is a familiar face in the mix: Okoye reunites with John Harbaugh, who coached him in Baltimore last season.
The appeal starts with the obvious part. Okoye is difficult to move.
But the more interesting piece is how he got here. He came through the International Player Pathway Program after growing up in Nigeria and playing basketball, then made a regular-season roster after taking up football in 2022.
That does not make him polished. It does suggest there may still be room for growth, which is why a 24-year-old with that kind of size and NFL experience is worth a late pick three drafts from now.
The Giants do not need him to walk in and change anything in Week 1. They need a big body on the defensive line who can hold his ground, add another option to the rotation and avoid being a weak link when the depth chart starts to turn.
This is the kind of move that makes sense at this stage of the calendar. There is a clear physical trait, a real reason for the interest and enough NFL snaps to make the gamble feel grounded.
Okoye still has to earn playing time, and nobody is handing out guarantees for a seventh-round pick. But for a team looking for size, depth and a little upside, the Giants found a swing worth taking.
In Other News...
Giants Turn To Familiar Ravens Pipeline As Linebacker Need Grows
The Giants added a familiar face to their linebacker group this week, signing veteran Malik Harrison to the practice squad as they look for more help at the position. Harrison comes with a clear connection to the organizations new defensive leadership, having spent five seasons under John Harbaugh with the Ravens before a year in Pittsburgh, and the move gives New York a player who already knows the kind of system and expectations that come with that background.
For a Giants team trying to stabilize its depth, the timing matters. Harrison is expected to be in the mix quickly, but the signing also means the club has to clear room on a 17-player practice squad, adding a small roster decision to a bigger effort to patch up a thin spot on defense. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Still Have One Unsettled Roster Issue Before Week 1
Joe Schoen has made no secret of wanting more help inside, and the Giants are still treating defensive tackle as a spot that could use another look before Week 1. Over the past stretch, the team has brought in several defensive linemen for workouts, while also keeping options on the practice squad, a sign the front office is still sorting through ways to add depth to the middle of the defense.
For a roster that is otherwise trying to get through the final week of preparation, it is one of the last lingering questions on the table. No trade or signing has surfaced yet, but the Giants interest in upgrading that group has not gone away, and the timing suggests the search could continue right up to the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Part Of A Powerful Week 1 9 11 Tribute
The league is marking Week 1 with a wide-ranging tribute to the victims and heroes of the September 11 attacks, and the Giants will be part of it in ways that reach beyond the field. Across stadiums and broadcasts, the NFL is planning moments of remembrance and community-focused efforts, while the Giants and Jets will wear commemorative hats and T-shirts honoring first responders.
The local piece of the gesture is especially pointed in New York, where the Giants, Jets and Washington Commanders are set to donate $1 million to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The NFL Foundation is also contributing $250,000 to 9/11 Day, adding another layer to a league-wide acknowledgment that is designed to be felt in the stadium, on the air and in the communities those games represent. [Read more 🡒]