New York Giants Should Trade for Joe Thomas and Josh Gordon

The New York Giants should be on the phones with the Cleveland Browns right now as a huge trade may not be as crazy as you think

This idea sort of began as a joke. It would still be a joke if it didn’t make so much sense for both the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns.

Throughout 2016, I have poked fun at some fans of the Browns regarding the fate of often-suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon, currently banned for the first four games of the upcoming NFL season, is an incredible talent. However, he hasn’t been a dynamic playmaker since the 2013 campaign because of his (alleged) inability to follow the league’s substance abuse policy.

The Giants floating a third-round pick to the Browns for Gordon was, earlier this year, logical on paper. It offered Gordon a fresh start in the biggest sports market in the world. Meanwhile, it also relieved the Browns of a headache and a player who was not worth the hassle for an organization.

After watching the offensive line of the Giants play in August, it became clear that receiver is not the first place I would start as far as strengthening the roster via trade goes. To put it nicely, the New York offensive line is a concern. Another way to say it is that quarterback Eli Manning is going to need eyes in the back of his head and on both sides of his helmet if the preseason offered any indication of what is to come once the games begin to matter.

After the Giants’ third preseason game and watching the offensive line, that’s when it became apparent that they needed offensive line help. That’s also when the notion of another deal with the Browns came to mind. Namely, a trade for veteran left tackle Joe Thomas. Though in the twilight of his playing career at 32 years old, he can still more than adequately do his job. Moreover, he can still get the job done protecting the edge.

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But why should that make Giants have to choose between Gordon or Thomas as potential trade targets? Why not both?

I recently mentioned the Giants potentially trading for Gordon and Thomas to Cleveland sports talk radio personality Nick Wilson. The goal was to see what Wilson, a Browns fan plugged into the area, would want back in such a trade. He replied that the Browns would need to land a first-round pick, a second-round pick and also a young player to even consider making the trade.

That’s doable. In fact, it would be the right move for the Giants to make.

The Giants are a win-now team whether or not they don’t realize it. Manning turns 36 years old next January. Though he has done well to remain relatively healthy during his career, no player out-runs Father Time forever. Subsequently, the window for the Giants to win another Super Bowl with Manning on the roster is closing.

Imagine how much better the offense of the Giants would look once you plugged Thomas and Gordon into the equation. Ereck Flowers, still learning on the job, would be able to move over to the right side of the offensive line. Gordon, meanwhile, would line up alongside Odell Beckham Jr. and whatever is left of Victor Cruz. Beckham, Gordon and Cruz is a terrifying trio for opposing defensive coordinators.

Of course, such a trade implodes the Giants future before it ever arrives. That should not matter one bit to any Big Blue fan. Let’s say, the Giants make this trade and win a Super Bowl before the end of the decade. That would be three championships during the Manning era. Every Giants fan out there would have signed up for such a run back in the spring of 2004.

As much as this fantasy trade improves the Giants, it may be more of a positive for the Browns in the long run. The Browns are punting on 2016. Anybody who still fails to realize that is either living in denial or cannot properly read a depth chart. The Browns are not only going to be bad in 2016, but also won’t be ready to win next year either. Thomas’ prime will be but a memory by the time the Browns are in a spot to contend for a playoff spot let alone flirt with winning anything of merit.

Gordon is a different case. He is a 25-year-old who possesses the goods to be the best wide receiver in the NFL, so long as he keeps his head on straight and stops violating NFL rules when away from football. Gordon can also test free agency in 2018.

What reason would Gordon have to remain in Cleveland past 2017? He owes nothing to the Browns other than to play out his current contract. Getting out of Cleveland and away from what is currently the worst organization in the NFL may do wonders for his career.

The Giants would be taking a huge risk in trusting Gordon. Gordon is, after all, one miscue away from being indefinitely suspended by the NFL and potentially being banned forever. However, adding Thomas and Gordon turns the Giants into a team capable of reaching the postseason in each of the next two seasons. That alone makes it worth the risk during the closing act of Manning’s career.

Too many Giants fans out there take Manning for granted. They’re going to realize how good they’ve had it once Manning rides off into the sunset. Manning is the greatest quarterback in the history of the Giants, and there isn’t a close second. The Giants owe it to Manning to do whatever possible to build a championship roster around him.

Trading for both Thomas and Gordon is a deal Manning deserves, and it’s a trade that matches needs of both the Giants and the Browns.