/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42885090/456689562.0.jpg)
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Will New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese, who said Monday he believes the 3-4 Giants can make a playoff run, make any moves to bolster the roster?
"We keep all of our options open. You never know," Reese said on Monday. "I’ve been taking calls today, been making calls today. We keep all of our options open. We’ll see what happens by four o’clock tomorrow."
Odds are the Giants won't do anything. The trade for Jon Beason last season was the Giants' first in-season trade since the 1986 acquisition of running back Ottis Anderson. So, obviously, trade deadline deals are a rarity for the Giants.
Still, there are some intriguing players said to be available at the deadline. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added a very interesting one to the list earlier today -- that of Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mark Barron.
Welcome to trade deadline day, where #Bucs are the 1 to watch: Getting calls on VJackson, Mark Barron and Doug Martin. Will anything happen?
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 28, 2014
Barron, 25, was selected seventh overall by Tampa Bay in the 2012 NFL Draft. He has started all 37 games he has played in. The Giants have struggled at safety opposite Antrel Rolle, using both Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps there. The team also has promising rookie Nat Berhe. Another factor that might make Barron intriguing is that Rolle can be a free agent at the end of this season.
Here is Bucs Nation on the possibility of Tampa Bay parting with Barron:
The Barron rumor comes a bit out of left field, but it does make some sense. Barron's a very talented safety, but he's also best fit for a specific role: as an in-the-box enforcer who is also asked to cover tight ends in man-to-man. That, he can do well. He's less effective as a deep safety, either as the single safety or in a two-deep look. He's not bad in those roles, per se, but he's not going to make a difference, either.
Now, that doesn't mean the Bucs are about to replace Barron. He's a useful player in their scheme and overall, and they'd be hard-pressed to replace him this season, or even next year. But he's not irreplaceable, and a good offer -- say, a second-round pick -- could certainly see him leave town.
Other Deadline Possibilities For Giants
We have, of course, been speculating about trade deadline possibilities for the Giants since last week. There is no real evidence that the Giants are linked to any of the players commonly believed to be available. What we have been asking, though, is if you believe any of those players would be a fit for the Giants. See our StoryStream for our complete trade deadline coverage.
We have discussed many things, including:
-- Reports that ex-Giants Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora are on the trade block.
-- The players Tampa Bay is apparently trying to move, not including Barron.
-- The fact that the Giants could use a slot corner, and Tony Carter of the Denver Broncos is apparently available.
-- The trio of players the Tennessee Titans are apparently willing to move.
-- Some crazy ideas about trading away Jason Pierre-Paul.
Final Thoughts
As much as it is to speculate about and discuss possible trades, the Giants will most likely be quiet today. Jerry Reese does have eight picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, having acquired an extra seventh-rounder from the Broncos for placekicker Brandon McManus. Maybe he dangles one of those picks to see what he can get for it. Most likely, though, the biggest changes you see in the Giants over the final nine games are more snaps for young players like Devon Kennard, Damontre Moore, Jay Bromley and Berhe.