Column: Giants Must Go All In for a Top Receiver Before the Trade Deadline

With Malik Nabers sidelined and Jaxson Dart still developing, New York’s front office can’t afford to play it safe.

The New York Giants should go all in at the trade deadline to land a top-tier wide receiver. Their hand has been forced — Malik Nabers is done for the year with a torn ACL, and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart needs reliable targets now. Because both Dart and Nabers are on rookie contracts, acquiring a high-end wideout with multiple years remaining makes sense for both this season and the future. The Giants can’t wait — they must act boldly.

Loss of Nabers demands urgency

On Sept. 29, an MRI confirmed that Nabers suffered a torn ACL and will miss the 2025 season. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. Before going down, Nabers led the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. New York has tried to shuffle its receiving corps — relying on Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt and others — but none have the proven ability to replicate Nabers’ production or demand consistent defensive attention.

This is not a time for incremental fixes. The Giants need a playmaking receiver who can fill that void immediately. Without that, opposing defenses can crowd the line, bracket any remaining threats and neuter the passing game. New York’s offense already lacks a vertical threat; in Dart’s development window, the team can’t afford to stagnate.

Protecting and accelerating Dart’s growth

Jaxson Dart signed a four-year, $17 million rookie contract fully guaranteed. As a first-round pick (No. 25 overall), expectations are high. Giants coach Brian Daboll has praised his poise and leadership, but Dart needs a consistent go-to receiver to lean on — especially in pressure moments.

Rookie quarterbacks work best when they can trust a veteran-level target to adjust and make plays. Throwing to unproven depth pieces increases the risk of turnovers, misreads, mismatches and stalled drives. Add a strong receiver and you accelerate Dart’s learning curve — he sees defenses execute, identifies coverages, and builds chemistry with a dependable route runner. Over time, that translates to quicker progress than with a patchwork receiving group.

Also, because Dart’s contract is capped and controlled for multiple seasons, the Giants are in a rare window: they can absorb some cost now to fast-track their signal caller without the long-term burden that often accompanies veteran quarterbacks. The receiver they trade for becomes an integral piece of the offense Dart inherits.

Rookie contracts free up flexibility

Both Dart and Nabers are on rookie-scale deals. That is, their salaries are limited compared to veterans. Thus, the Giants’ payroll has room — though not unlimited — to absorb one impactful acquisition without mortgaging the future. New York recently restructured contracts for Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland to create roughly $4.8 million in cap space. That move seems calculated: freeing room to make a trade.

Because the Giants don’t need to commit large multi-year deals to their foundational offensive talent, they can devote more capital to acquiring a receiver whose prime years overlap with Dart’s timeline. They don’t have to overthink salary structure or long-term cap hits — this is a window when the “big buy” makes sense.

Targeting receivers under contract

It’s not enough to get a receiver just for this year. The Giants should aim for names who are under contract beyond 2025 — receivers like Chris Olave or Jaylen Waddle have surfaced in trade rumors. Olave, in particular, is under contract through 2026, making him a natural building block with Dart and Nabers. Waddle has a more complex contract, but if Miami is open, he offers upside and veteran polish.

A multi-year receiver helps maintain continuity. Once Nabers returns, the Giants can field a two-headed monster instead of losing the new receiver after a one-year rental. Also, markets for star receivers are thin — if you find one with multiple years remaining, you can extract value in trade terms.

Risk vs. reward: why going big is warranted

Of course, executing a blockbuster trade comes with risk. You may have to surrender draft capital or young assets. But doing nothing — or making a marginal swap — risks losing the moment. The NFC East is wide open, and New York still controls its destiny in many games. If Dart stalls or the offense becomes predictable, the season could slip away.

Given the upside — resurrecting offensive balance, pressuring defenses vertically, accelerating Dart’s maturation — the reward justifies aggressive action. The Giants can’t let Nabers’ injury be the death blow to their offensive hopes. Instead, they should double down, trade for a receiver who checks both the “play now” and “stay later” boxes, and send a message that New York intends to compete.

In short: with both their quarterback and top receiver locked in on rookie deals, the Giants’ window is open. They must pounce, not wait.