Giants 'willing to eat' money to trade CB James Bradberry?

When new New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen admitted in late January he had to "clear out $40 million from a bloated and mismanaged salary cap this spring," he was unofficially telling fans to expect a painful rebuild that will include moves such as parting ways with popular figures like defensive back Logan Ryan. 

It appears Schoen is willing to embrace financial hits today if he feels doing so will help accelerate this process.

In a piece published Thursday, ESPN's Jordan Raanan explained that the Giants "are willing to eat some" of the $13.5 million salary attached to the contract of one-time Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry due to his $21.9 million cap hit. Big Blue trading Bradberry is hardly a new idea. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post and others previously noted the Giants would happily take even a mid-round draft pick for the 28-year-old rather than lose him to free agency for nothing next year. However, Raanan's update shows just how eager Schoen may be to collect any available future assets this spring or summer. 

Such talk leads to inevitable discussions about if, or maybe when, the Giants could trade running back Saquon Barkley. The 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year is currently on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract worth slightly over $7.2 million but may have already been "replaced" by veteran Matt Breida. Breida played under current Giants head coach Brian Daboll when both were with the Buffalo Bills and signed with New York earlier this week. 

There's currently no indication the Giants are even considering signing Barkley to an extension.