With the NFL’s Oct. 30 trade deadline just hours away at 4 p.m. ET, the New York Giants fire sale has seemingly stalled.
After trading away cornerback Eli Apple to the New Orleans Saints and defensive lineman Damon Harrison to the Detroit Lions last week, the trade market has gone quiet even with notable names like Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins drawing interest.
The veteran cornerback Jenkins has aggregated the most buzz over the past few days and is a prime candidate for the Giants to trade. At 30 years old, Jenkins is signed over the next two seasons where he’ll carry a cap hit of $14.75 million in both 2019 and 2020, per Spotrac. That kind of contract for a veteran defensive back would only hinder the Giants’ rebuild, which will center around the draft as they’ve aggregated nine selections in 2019 alone after the Apple and Harrison trades.
Jenkins still has plenty to offer despite having a down season, though his numbers are skewed because he’s playing on a defense that is constantly left out to dry by an offense that cannot score. He was an All-Pro in 2016 and has posted eight interceptions in 32 games with the Giants.
While it was reported earlier this week that the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles were interested in the cornerback, a new suitor has emerged.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported on Tuesday morning that the Kansas City Chiefs have shown some interest in trading for Jenkins and are a “team to watch.”
The Chiefs are one of the NFL’s most powerful teams behind a high-flying offense led by second-year quarterback sensation Patrick Mahomes. Yet their passing defense ranks second-to-last in the league with a whopping 2,438 yards allowed.
Even with a 7-1 record, good for tops in the AFC, a cornerback like Jenkins could help bolster the Chiefs secondary and make them legitimate Super Bowl contenders. As it stands, Kansas City is playing a dangerous game every week relying heavily on an offensive shootout. A season of promise could quickly should they meet the likes of Tom Brady of the New England Patriots or Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason.
