Markus Golden trade: Giants send Golden to Arizona Cardinals

The New York Giants have sent edge defender Markus Golden to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Golden led the Giants with 10 sacks a season ago, and the Giants brought him back this season with a rarely utilized unrestricted free agent tender. It has, however. been apparent that the 29-year-old was not really a fit in the defense constructed by new Giants’ defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Golden played less than 30 snaps in six of the Giants’ seven games this season.

Even with the Giants’ outside linebacking corps having suffered injuries, with Lorenzo Carter out for the year and Oshane Ximines also on IR, Golden’s playing time the past two weeks has been limited.

Golden was a second-round pick by Arizona in 2015, and played four seasons there before joining the Giants as a free agent before the 2019 season. He had 12.5 sacks for Arizona in 2016. Golden will help the Cardinals make up for the loss of injured edge rusher Chandler Jones.

Giants coach Joe Judge said earlier on Friday that he did not anticipate a “string of moves” prior to the trade deadline.

This, though, seems like an indication that the 1-6 Giants are willing to be sellers over the next several days.