Big Blue View
The New York Giants suffered a frustrating 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday as they returned from their bye week. As a result, the Giants continued to hold the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There were some flashes, like Abdul Carter having a breakout game, big plays from tight ends Daniel Bellinger and Theo Johnson, DB Dru Phillips, and RB Tyrone Tracy. But there were simply too many miscues and missed opportunities to overcome with late magic. But ultimately it was too little, too late for the Giants and their frantic comeback fell short.
The loss also highlighted the shortcomings of the Giants’ roster, as the receivers consistently failed to get open, once again forcing Jaxson Dart to hold the ball or take a big hit when scrambling, and struggled to hang onto the ball when they did find separation. This was also (probably) Jermaine Eluemunor’s worst game of the season, as he struggled against veteran pass rusher Von Miller, and the Giants struggled to consistently move the ball in short-yardage situations on the ground.
The Giants’ eighth-consecutive loss comes one day after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy.
That brings us to the upside of the loss for the Giants: there are a number of quarterback-needy teams in the Top 10 of the draft, and it’s possible that Mendoza will be the only highly-regarded quarterback to come out this year. That could make the first overall pick highly valuable if teams like the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and New Orleans Saints are all vying for the top quarterback prospect.
Nobody wants to see the Giants lose, but trading the first overall pick could net valuable assets to fill multiple holes in the first two or three rounds. The Giants could use a highly-drafted receiver as well as a long-term answer at right tackle. Likewise, the Giants need a long-term answer at right guard and an infusion of youth and athleticism at linebacker.
Most early mock drafts have the Giants drafting a wide receiver or an offensive tackle with their first pick. A sizeable haul of picks could allow them to address both positions with high picks, as well as add one of the talented linebackers or defensive backs in this class.
It remains to be seen who will make that pick, but the Giants could have a tremendous amount of capital to go with a young roster.
The Giants’ road to the first overall pick is a tight one. They share a 2-12 record with the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders (who they play in two weeks). The Jets, Browns, and Arizona Cardinals are also each a game out of the first pick at 3-11, though the Saints managed to beat the Carolina Panthers and improve to 4-10 on the season.
New York still has games against the Minnesota Vikings, the afore-mentioned Raiders, and the Dallas Cowboys to end the season. They remain a team that can...
