GM Dave Gettleman: Giants 'open for business' for No. 4 pick
INDIANAPOLIS -- The fourth pick in this year's NFL draft can be had for the right price. The New York Giants are "open for business," according to general manager Dave Gettleman.
The Giants join the Detroit Lions, who pick third overall in this April's draft, as willing to at least listen. Lions general manager Bob Quinn recently said he would be "open to any trades."
The Lions and Giants appear to be in the sweet spot if the draft plays out as expected at the top and quarterback-needy clubs fall in love with Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon's Justin Herbert. That would make the third and/or fourth picks especially valuable.
"Absolutely we're open for business," Gettleman said on Tuesday at the NFL combine. "Again, whatever we do is going to be in our best interest. Trading back has its danger. What happens if ... we're at four. Let's say we trade back to eight. There are only four players that we like. What if they're all gone? Now what are you going to do? Trade back again? You can trade yourself back out of good players.
"But, to answer your question, we're open."
It's unlikely to play out that way. This is considered a rather strong draft. There shouldn't be a shortage of upper-echelon players for the first round. Wide receiver, quarterback and offensive line are considered some of the stronger positions.
Trading back later into the Top 10 with a team that needs a quarterback shouldn't prevent the Giants from getting a good player.
"There are a lot of high-graded players," Gettleman said. "I'll tell you that right up front. I'm excited to see where the board ends up. It's a pretty strong draft. It really is."
Making this type of move would be out of character for Gettleman. He has never traded back in any draft as a general manager.
He claims it's not that he's philosophically opposed. It's just the way things have worked out in his first seven drafts as the ultimate decision-maker.
"I've tried to trade back as the general manager," Gettleman said. "The value wasn't there. There was a player we really liked."
But this year may be the perfect setup. The Giants drafted a quarterback last year with the No. 6 overall pick. Even though Gettleman and coach Joe Judge wouldn't actually say that Daniel Jones is their unequivocal starter and franchise quarterback on Tuesday, he showed enough his rookie season that there are people within the Giants organization that are confident he's their guy.
Gettleman admitted it's more likely a trade back could work in this scenario. His ears are perked.
The Giants will still be evaluating quarterbacks. They will be paying particularly close attention to the health of Tagovailoa as they know it could greatly affect the draft.
Judge is on board with the open-minded approach the Giants appear set to take.
"Everything is on the table as far as options," he said. "We'll listen to everybody."
Related Stories
ABC News Live