The Dallas Cowboys are in the business of making up ground in the NFC East and the conference at large this offseason. And while they've already done a good job addressing major issues as free agency creeps closer, their divisional counterparts aren't going to simply lie down.
Just as the Cowboys are frantically trying to get a deal done with George Pickens to ensure his long-term future in Dallas, the Eagles, Commanders and Giants are scrambling to add key pieces as well. New York, in fact, almost pulled off a blockbuster trade on Wednesday afternoon.
"The Trent McDuffie trade came down to the Rams and the Giants, I'm told," The Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell reported. "In the end, the Rams were the team willing to give up first-round PLUS."
Rams narrowly beat out Giants for Trent McDuffie in blockbuster trade
That's right, the Giants were firmly in the sweepstakes for superstar Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, but thanks to Sean McVay and Les Snead sweetening the pot, the Rams were able to walk away with the prize, and as a result, save the Cowboys from an NFC East disaster.
It's no surprise that New York has some talented, young pieces on offense and a great defensive front. In fact, their secondary wasn't even half-bad last season. But McDuffie would have raised the floor for their unit exponentially, had he become a Giant.
Still just 25 years old and already a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time All-Pro, McDuffie could have been a key fixture in New York for the next decade. But they must have stopped short of ponying up a first, fifth and sixth rounder this year, as well as a third next year. Tough luck for them.
McDuffie heading to the Giants would have hurt doubly as well, considering that in Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft for NFL.com, he had the Cowboys trading for McDuffie. It's one thing not to have him. It's another for your rival to have him instead.
Dallas' strength is, undeniably, their tandem of superstar wide receivers, Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. New York adding a neutralizing force like McDuffie into the fold would have eliminated at least part of what allows the Cowboys to, when they're healthy, frequently beat the brakes off the Giants.
Now, if Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh are big fish hunting this offseason, it won't be a shock to see them throw their hat in the ring for any number of other stars expected to be shopped. That said, it's also clear that they may not be shooting high enough to land that level of player.
In the early stages of the offseason, the Giants have been haunted by "almosts." They almost got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but fell to No. 5. And on Wednesday, they almost landed a star cornerback in McDuffie, but they got left at the altar.