The New York Giants are trading an Eli, it’s just not the one that many think of at first. General manager Dave Gettleman sent cornerback Eli Apple to the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday afternoon for a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2020 seventh-rounder, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A new regime seemingly wasn’t enough to get Apple’s career in New York on the right path. After being suspended by former head coach Ben McAdoo last year while having a falling out of sorts with teammate Landon Collins, Apple had the opportunity for a fresh start with the Giants.
In six-plus games, he had 42 total tackles with five passes defended and a forced fumble. He left Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons early due to an ankle injury and did not return.
There were high hopes for Apple when he was drafted 10th overall in 2016, but injuries have kept him from playing in a full season and while on the field, he hasn’t been able to gain any sort of real momentum to become a valuable contributor to the Giants secondary.
Still, Apple is just 23 years old and has just two full seasons under his belt, which is why the Saints might have taken a chance on him.
New Orleans’ secondary is among the bottom half in the league and it’s no secret that they were looking for a cornerback on the market. When reports emerged that Arizona Cardinals star Patrick Peterson wanted out, one of the first teams mentioned was the Saints.
They’ll be hoping that a change of scenery could help Apple meet his true potential after coming out of Ohio State with such a high ceiling.
