The Giants had a shot to pounce, and they let it slip away.
With Chris Ballard fired, the league had one obvious question hanging over Indianapolis: were the Colts about to start moving prized veterans? On Tuesday, they answered loud and clear. All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson is heading to the Seattle Seahawks, who landed him for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to Adam Schefter.
That kind of price should have put the Giants right in the thick of the action. Instead, Nelson is off the market and headed to an NFC rival.
The fit in New York was easy to see. Nelson was on an expiring contract, and at 30, he was not looking like the kind of player Indianapolis would lock up long term as it stares at a rebuilding timeline.
For the Giants, though, he would have been the kind of upgrade that changes the conversation up front. Jon Runyan Jr. has struggled badly at left guard, and Nelson would have given Big Blue a true force on the interior.
Pairing him with Andrew Thomas would have opened the door for more clean work on the left side, especially for Cam Skattebo.
Now the Giants are left with what they already had. Runyan Jr. looks set to keep starting, and after his extension this offseason, he could be holding that job for longer than many fans want.
Still, Nelson being gone doesn’t mean New York should stop looking at Indianapolis altogether. The Colts could still become a trade deadline source, and there are names that would make sense for the Giants.
Jonathan Taylor is the biggest one. He would solve John Harbaugh's running back issues in a heartbeat, but the price could be steep enough to keep New York from engaging. A second-round pick or more would be hard to justify for an aging running back.
DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart also belong on the radar. Both defensive tackles are among the best at their position, and either one could step into a meaningful role for the Giants.
Maybe there isn’t a perfect move waiting there. But after missing on Nelson, Joe Schoen should at least be checking in with the Colts.
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For the Giants, the real question now is whether this stretch is just a good run or the start of something more stable. Bye weeks have a way of quieting the noise, but they also give teams time to measure what they actually have, and this one has fans wondering if the foundation is finally starting to hold. The next step will be proving it after the break, when cohesion and promise have to translate into something more durable. [Read more 🡒]