In a league where most front offices manipulate cap space with creative accounting, the Giants have remained unusually conservative. They are one of only two NFL teams, alongside the Patriots, that have zero dollars in void years on their books. For comparison, the Eagles lead the league in void-year contract value, while the median team carries roughly $30 million.

That restraint has come at a cost. In a salary-cap world built on flexibility and deferral, the Giants’ hardline stance against void years may have left them at a competitive disadvantage. Particularly now, as head coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen search for ways to surround rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart with more weapons.

And now Giants just made a strategic financial pivot. According to @FieldYates, the Giants have restructured the contracts of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, creating over $4.8 million in cap space. Both players signed three-year deals earlier this offseason.

Before the restructures, the Giants were operating with just $2.5 million in cap space, according to NFLPA records—a tight margin that made adjustments inevitable even without a blockbuster trade.

Restructuring the deals of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland was the logical move. Both players are expected to be long-term pieces in New York, so pushing a portion of their salaries into future years gave the Giants the flexibility they needed to navigate the rest of the season financially.

That has led many around the league to wonder if the Giants could finally dip into the trade market.

Back in 2022, when the Giants were 6-2 and in playoff contention, Schoen resisted the temptation to trade for a short-term receiver upgrade. Instead, he shipped Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs for third- and sixth-round picks. A move that prioritized long-term planning over short-term patchwork.

This year, the context feels different. At 2-4, the Giants aren’t chasing playoff glory. But they need results in Year 4 of the Schoen-Daboll era. As one executive told reporters, “I think they’re going to feel like they have to show promise. I would think you’re going to want to find a balance, and you can always fall back on the thought process of, ‘Hey, for Jaxson Dart’s development, we wanted to give him another viable pass catcher on the perimeter.’”

The timing of this move couldn’t be more interesting with the November 4 trade deadline approaching. The Giants’ trade capital, however, is limited. They already dealt their 2026 third-round pick to move up for Dart in the draft. Their remaining assets include their own first, second, fourth, and fifth-round picks, plus three sixth rounders—and no seventh rounder in 2026.

Brian Daboll’s aggressive push: Giants explore trade options

 According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, New York has been among several teams actively seeking trade partners to strengthen their WR room since losing Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear.

That urgency is understandable. The offense simply can’t survive with Lil’Jordan Humphrey sitting as their second-leading receiver, and Brian Daboll knows it. For rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, every rep counts—and without a reliable target to build chemistry with, his growth could easily stall. Which is why Daboll’s decision right now is necessary.

One name that’s emerged as a logical target is Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints. The 2022 first-round pick exploded onto the scene with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons before injuries began to slow him down. Even this year, though, Olave’s flashed his talent—tallying 392 yards on 34 receptions with one touchdown through the early stretch of 2025.

Despite their recent win over the Giants, the Saints look like a team in transition, and Olave could be the kind of player they’re willing to move for the right offer. His fifth-year option is already locked in, which would allow the Giants to not only trade for him but also potentially extend him long-term if he thrives in Daboll’s system.

If Olave can regain his early-career form, he could form a lethal duo with Malik Nabers once the rookie returns in 2026. The kind of pairing that could define the next phase of Brian Daboll’s offensive rebuild in New York.