Giants Miss Chance To Land Daron Payne Before Injury

The New York Giants had a real shot to fix their defensive line, but a broken foot ended the deal before it could happen. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that New York was actively talking about trading for Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne before the injury struck. "He was the subject of trade talks," Rapoport said. The timing is brutal for a team sitting at 4-2-1 in the NFC East. Payne fractured his foot during Friday's practice and will miss the rest of the season. This leaves the Giants with the same roster problems they faced last week.

The Giants were looking for help inside the defensive line after trading Dexter Lawrence earlier this year. They have leaned on veterans like D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, but the team wanted more. Rapoport noted that a deal between division rivals was on the table. "In fact, we're told the Giants had interest in Daron Payne — a possible intra-division trade. We will never know whether or not that was actually going to happen," Rapoport said. The Commanders were ready to move Payne before the November 10 deadline since he is in the final year of his contract. Now that window is shut. The Giants have to find another way to get better.

While the defense lost a chance at Payne, the offense lost a key piece on the ground. Tyrone Tracy Jr. was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury that occurred during the overtime win against Houston on Sunday. GM Joe Schoen addressed the media during the bye week and offered some hope. "This won't be something that's going to be long-term — fortunately," he said. Tracy had three touchdowns in his last two games and is now out while the team looks for answers. Gregory Desrosiers was signed from the Chargers' practice squad to fill the hole. The running back room was already in the spotlight after the Saints loss. After all four backs dressed for that game, Coach John Harbaugh stated that someone needed to "take the bull by the horns"

The Giants lead the division at 4-2-1, but the path is getting harder. The Cowboys dropped to 3-5 after losing to the Cardinals in overtime on Sunday. The Eagles fell to 2-6 after a 27-10 loss to Washington. New York faces a tough schedule with two division games coming up. On Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. ET, they travel to Philadelphia, with a Thursday night home game against Washington following. The coaching staff knows what is coming. Harbaugh stated the coaching staff will focus on two games during the bye week, adding that his record stands at 15-3 in contests right after the bye. The team has the lead, but they cannot afford to slip up against a team like the Eagles or the Commanders. The loss of Payne and Tracy makes the job much harder.