Giants Stay Quiet as Jets and Cowboys Shake Up Their Rosters Before Deadline
The NFL trade deadline passed without any major moves from the New York Giants, leaving many fans and analysts scratching their heads. Despite a 2-7 record and the glaring need for playmakers, the Giants didn’t acquire any new talent or move existing players to add future draft capital. This inaction came as a surprise, especially considering the team’s struggles on both sides of the ball.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys made waves with their respective moves. The Jets, clearly in rebuilding mode, shipped star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys in exchange for multiple high-round draft picks. The Cowboys, looking to fix their struggling defense, were quick to add Williams to their roster, signaling their aggressive push to contend now .
In contrast, the Giants stood still. General Manager Joe Schoen was reportedly “feverishly working the phones” but opted not to make any trade deals. The lack of action raised questions about the team’s direction and whether they missed an opportunity to bolster their roster for the future.
After the deadline passed, Giants’ quarterback Jaxson Dart was vocal about the team’s approach. "I’m ready to make the most of what we’ve got," Dart said. "It’s clear we’ve got the talent here to compete; we just need to make it work. If the front office sees us as a long-term project, then that’s their call. But I know we’re capable of turning this around on the field."
Despite the team's ongoing struggles, Dart's statement reflected a sense of confidence in the current roster, which is filled with young talent that has yet to fully break out. However, with limited weapons on offense and injuries to key players, it remains to be seen if this team can make significant strides with what they have.
Head coach Brian Daboll echoed Dart’s sentiments, emphasizing that the team’s focus is on improving with the players currently on the roster. "We’re not looking for quick fixes," Daboll said. "We’ve got to get better with what we have and develop our young guys. The future is still very bright for us."
As the season progresses, the Giants’ failure to make a move at the trade deadline may come to be viewed as either prudent patience or a missed opportunity. How they finish the season will shape the narrative moving forward.
NFL drops the hammer on Micah Parsons in a way that makes the Packers feel even worse after loss to the Eagles
The Green Bay Packers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. And it was despite a great defensive effort, giving up only 10 points — which wasn’t enough in an uninspiring performance by the offense, which scored seven. To make things even worse, the NFL has just fined star edge defender Micah Parsons.
Parsons was punished for tripping on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. During the play, the refs didn’t call a penalty, but the league decided to fine Parsons $12,172 as part of its weekly round of punishments. The play was considered unnecessary roughness, and categorized as striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing.
Since the Packers acquired him from the Dallas Cowboys, Micah Parsons has been insanely productive. Against the Eagles, he generated seven pressures, and that was his fourth game this season with at least seven — he had a season-high 10 exactly against the Cowboys in Week 4.
The other Packers players to be fined this season have been safety Xavier McKinney, punished because of a taunting penalty during the Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions; linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper, fined $6,891 because of a facemask penalty in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders; linebacker Quay Walker, punished for a hit on a quarterback in Week 7; and safety Evan Williams, fined $6,448 for unnecessary roughness by hitting the quarterback against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9.
NFL fines
While it’s tough to see football players losing money like that for normal plays, at least it goes to a good cause. The fines collected are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support legends in need.
Players are notified of violations and may appeal any ruling. Appeals officers, such as former NFL players Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, and Jordy Nelson, who are jointly appointed and paid by the NFL/NFLPA, hear cases. The decisions made are final and binding.
The potential violations include offenses against game officials, player safety rules or flagrant personal fouls, fighting, sportsmanship, uniform rules, and gang signing.
Last year, the Packers were among the least penalized teams in football in this area. In 2024, 543 plays resulted in fines, or 1.16% of all plays in the season.
